Fate Of A Pirate (Book 2: Pink Blossom Series)
by DraconianKat
Summary: Meet Kat. She's a typical five year old girl with a typical life. Then one fateful night, a terrible tragedy strikes and throws Kat down a path she never expected. (Book 1 doesn't tie into this directly, but I promise they will all mesh.)
1. Chapter 1

I walked through the streets of my home town in Tanbarun on my way to visit my friend, Niala. We did everything together. Today was the best day to spend together because it was my birthday! I was so excited to be five.

My mom said that after today, I could pick out my first practice sword. I always wanted a sword of my own. When I grew up I was going to be the best swordswoman there was!

My blue-black hair is in a tight ponytail that my mother did for me. I was wearing my favorite red shirt and black pants. Mom didn't like that I dressed like a boy but after I continuously tore the dresses she put me in, she finally gave up.

I arrived at Niala's house and knocked on the door. The door opened and my lavender eyes locked with her violet ones. Her blonde hair was the same length as mine, falling just past her shoulders.

"Hi Niala! Ready to come over and have some cake? Mom made it special!"

"You bet, Katsumi! Your mom makes the best cake!"

Niala quickly told her mother that she was coming over and we raced all the way back to my house. I won, of course. I was always the fastest runner, even out of the boys. We barged into the house and quickly sat down at the table.

Mom came in with the cake and set it on the table. I reached out to grab some but mom quickly smacked my hand.

"Did you wash up?"

"No…" I answered sheepishly.

"Well then."

Niala and I went outside and washed our hands and face in the wash bowl. After we were done we charged back into the kitchen and sat at the table.

Mom had placed a candle in the center of the cake and lit it. "Make a wish, Katsumi."

I closed my eyes and wished with all my might that today would be the best day ever! I opened my eyes and blew out the candle.

"What did you wish for?" Niala asked.

"I can't tell you, silly. If I do then it might not come true."

Mom cut the cake and handed us each a piece on a plate. I watched my mom as she set the cake down in front of me. I wanted to be as beautiful as she is when I grow up. She told me before that since I had the same eyes she did, she had now doubt I would be beautiful. She also said that she was jealous because my hair was the same colour as my dad's.

Dad came into the kitchen while Niala and I finished our pieces of cake. "Happy Birthday, Kat!"

"Daddy!" I got down from the table and ran into his arms. He hugged me tightly. I always loved hugs, especially from my dad. He held me at arm's length and looked into my eyes.

"Are you ready for your present?"

"Yes!"

He reached behind him and pulled out a… SWORD!? It was only a practice sword, but still!

"WOW!"

"It's made from the finest wood that could be used for a practice sword, so you make sure to take good care of it."

"I will! I promise I will!"

Dad smiled at me. "Good. Now go find a safe spot to put it in your room, then pack your overnight bag for your sleep over at Niala's tonight."

I darted up the stairs and set the sword proudly against the wall by my bed. I couldn't help but stare at it. It was the best gift I could ever get! I remembered I was supposed to be packing, so I quickly grabbed my bag and shoved the clothes I would need, as well as a my brush, into it.

I flew back down the stairs skipping every other step.

"I'm ready!"

"Katsumi! I've told you several times not to fly down the stairs like that!"

"Sorry, mom."

"Come on, Katsumi! Let's go play princesses at my house!" Niala urged.

"How about you be the princess and I'll be your bodyguard. Someone has to guard you from dragons!"

"Okay!"

We darted out of the house and quickly made our way to Niala's house. Once we were there, Niala dressed up in her prettiest dress and spun around.

"What do you think Katsumi? Mom made it for me."

"I don't know why you like dresses so much, they just get in the way."

"I need to look my best for Prince Raj! I'm going to marry him!"

I smacked my forehead. "Stupid me. I completely forgot." I gave Niala a bow. "How can I serve you, Your Highness?"

"You can start by cleaning up this room! It's a mess!"

I gave Niala a displeased look. "Guards don't do that kind of thing."

"They do if the princess orders them to do it!"

"Fine…" I quickly cleaned up the room.

Niala did stuff like this all the time. I hated it, but I felt like it was partly my own fault. I was always wanting to be the guard. Besides, Niala was my best friend.

Finally, I finished cleaning the room.

"There! All done!"

"All done…"

"Your Highness."

"Much better."

I frowned, but then looked towards her bed and pictured a dragon in my mind. I leapt in front of my friend.

"OH NO! A fire breathing dragon has broken into the palace! Stay behind me, princess. I will slay him!" I drew my pretend sword and fought the pretend dragon.

Our game carried on all the way till bedtime. Niala's mother came into the bedroom and gave us each a cup of tea. As I reached to take my tea, the cup cracked.

"I'm sorry, Niala's mom. I don't know how that happened."

"It's okay, my dear. I'll get you another cup."

"You know what that means, right?" Niala asked me once her mother had left the room.

"No… what does it mean?"

"My aunt told me it means that something really bad has happened or will happen."

"Really?" Panic was starting to rise up inside me. I didn't like what Niala had just told me.

"Yeah… I feel bad for you."

"What do you think will happen?"

"I don't know… but it's going to be bad."

"Niala!" Her mother scolded. "It's just a superstition. Don't scare Katsumi like that!"

"But mom! Auntie said a cup broke right before Gran died!"

"Your aunt also believes everything she hears. We need to be smarter than that. Do you understand?"

"Yes, mom."

"Good." Niala's mom turned to me. "Don't worry, Katsumi, I'm sure everything is fine."

I gave her a smile but my stomach started to feel like I just ate rocks. I drank my tea hoping it would help but it didn't. Niala and I climbed into her bed and I tried to fall asleep. I tossed and turned for what felt like forever. Niala had passed out a long time ago but I couldn't shake the feeling in my gut.

I couldn't take it anymore. I had to go home and talk to mom. She always knew what to say to help me. I got dressed, put my boots on and headed out the door.

As I walked home, I noticed a lot of people were running. Panic overtook me and I ran too. When I came in sight of my house, I saw it was being devoured by fire. I searched frantically for my parents.

"Please! You have to let me go in and get my wife!" I heard my dad shouting.

"DAD!" I called at the top of my lungs, but he didn't respond.

I tried to make my way to him but no one moved for me. I forced my way through the crowd anyway I could. Just as I broke through, I saw my dad dart into the fire.

"DADDY!" Tears burst forth from my eyes and I tried to run after him. A strong arm stopped me. "DAD!" I collapsed as the pain in my chest only grew to the point that I thought I was going to die. My whole body shook and the tears just wouldn't stop. "Mom… Dad…" They couldn't be gone… They just couldn't be…

I woke up at Niala's house. Had the whole thing been a nightmare? I looked at my clothes. I was in my pjs. Maybe it was a bad dream. Just then, Niala's mom walked in.

"Katsumi… how did you sleep?"

"I-I don't know… I think I had a dream that my parents…"

Niala's mom shook her head. "I'm sorry, Katsumi, it wasn't a dream…"

My gut and heart hurt at the same time. "No… NOOO!" The tears burst forth again. "Mom… Dad… they can't be…"

"They're dead, Katsumi."

"But… Dad just gave me my first practice sword… Mom just made me a cake…"

"Sometimes the people we care about most are pulled from us without warning."

I didn't know what to say. All I knew was that it felt like someone had stabbed me in the heart with a sword.

"I really hate to do this, Katsumi, but you can't stay here. We just can't afford to keep you here. You'll have to go."

"B-But my house… where do I go?"

"I don't know, but you can't stay here." Niala's mom was quiet for a minute. "Once you are dressed and eat some breakfast you'll have to go." She got up and walked out.

My body froze. I didn't want to go. I had no place to go. What was I going to do now? Tears soaked the blanket. The people who would know exactly how to help, were my parents… but they were gone. I was on my own.


	2. Chapter 2

About a month passed and I still felt like the world was flying by me. I made my home at the docks and begged for any scraps that someone might be willing to give me. Most people just passed me by or told me to leave them alone.

I saw Niala with a group of her friends. I decided to go over to her and say hi. I hadn't seen her since my birthday.

"Hi, Niala." I greeted shyly.

"Oh… hi, Katsumi."

"Can I play with you guys?"

"No way!" One of her friends shouted.

"You're bad luck!" Voiced another.

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Is that what you think, Niala?"

"My aunt says black is bad luck. Your hair is black, so you must be bad luck."

"But, Niala…"

"I don't need bad luck around me… Katsumi, we can't be friends anymore."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I thought she was my best friend! I ran away and never looked back. Fine! If she didn't want me as a friend, then I didn't need her! But… I didn't want to be alone…

I ran all the way back to the docks. Once I was back in my normal spot, I sat down, pulled my knees to my chest, and started to cry. No one cared about me. No one.

"Mommy? What's wrong with that girl? Why is she all dirty?"

I looked up and saw a boy with black hair, blue eyes, and freckles across his face. His mother also had black hair and was carrying a paper bag with one hand and held her son's hand with the other.

"She's an orphan, Deston. Do you remember that fire that happened awhile ago?"

"Yes. Everyone says the people in the fire died."

"It was her parents that died in the fire."

"Can't we take her home with us? She can be my sister!"

"I'm sorry, but no."

"What about some bread? Can we give her some bread?"

The mom was silent for a moment. I dared to hope. Was there actually someone willing to share with me? And it was something more than scraps? No… that was too good to be true. No one cared about me.

"I think we can do that."

Wait… What?! Really?!

The woman dug into the paper bag and pulled out a small loaf of bread. She handed it to the boy and he quickly made his way to me.

"Here." He held the bread out for me to take.

I just looked at him. No one had been this kind to me since the fire.

"It's okay. Go on, take it. Mom and I have more."

"Th-Thank you." Tears leaked down my face as I accepted the loaf. Maybe there was someone who cared after all.

The next day, the boy came back. This time he was by himself.

"Hi! I'm Desti! What's your name?"

"I'm Katsumi…"

"Can I call you Kat for short?"

I nodded. I didn't know why he came back, but I was glad he did.

"What should we do today, Kat?"

I shrugged.

"How do you feel about playing pirates?"

"How do you play?"

"Just act piratey. Like this," Desti picked a stick up off the ground and used it like a sword. "So… Ya think you can steal me treasure, ya land lubber?!"

I looked around and found another stick and copied his behaviour. It was the first time playing in what felt like forever. It felt strange and almost wrong. I don't know why, but it did. After a while, my stomach ached 'cause I was hungry again.

I whimpered at the pain as Desti and I were sitting in the alley so we wouldn't get in anyone's way.

"Are you hungry, Kat?"

"Yeah… I ate the whole loaf yesterday… I should have saved some."

"Don't tell my mom I asked you about this, but have you tried pickpocketing?"

I shook my head. "No… stealing is wrong."

"Yeah…"

"But… I am so hungry… is it still wrong if I'm doing it to live?" I wished more than anything that my mom was here to help me… she'd know what to do.

"I don't think so, as long as you only do it when you have to."

I looked around at all the stands. There was one that sold fruit and the bright red apples caught my attention. I put my finger to my lips to tell him to be quiet. He nodded his response.

I made my way through the crowd and waited till the shop owner had their back turned. I grabbed two apples and hurriedly made my way back to Desti. The shop owner never noticed.

I sat back down and handed Desti one of the apples. "Here, as thanks for yesterday."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I felt like I owed you."

"I'm your friend, Kat. You'll never owe me anything."

"Then you'll never owe me anything either."

We both munched on our apples and I was happy to have some food in my belly. I couldn't remember the last time I had an apple.

That evening, it started to rain. I didn't know where I was going to go. Desti was probably going to go home.

"Do you have a shelter, Kat?"

"No…"

"Follow me."

I did as he asked. I wasn't sure where we were going but he told me he was my friend. We stopped at a run down one story home.

"Wait here." Desti instructed and quickly disappeared in the house. Moments later, he returned. "Come in."

I entered the home and saw that the whole house was one room except for one bedroom. Desti's mom was sitting in a rocking chair doing some sewing.

"Come here, Katsumi." Her voice was firm.

I quickly did as she asked.

"If you're going to stay here occasionally, there are some rules you need to follow. These are the same rules I expect Desti to follow."

I nodded and waited for her to continue.

"Clean up after yourself. If I catch you stealing, I will tan your hide."

I tensed at the thought of what that would be like. I'd never had that punishment before.

"And finally, listen to me when I ask you to do something. If you're going to dirty the house, you'll help clean it. Do you understand?"

I nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good. There are some dry clothes on the chair there." She gestured to one of the dining table chairs.

I quickly grabbed the clothes and changed in the bedroom. When I came back out, I showed Desti's mom.

"Just like I thought, you and Desti are the same size."

I gave a deep bow. "Thank you so much." The tears started to fall without any warning.

"Katsumi, come here."

I stood up and, with watery eyes and sobs, made my way to her. She picked me up and put me on her lap.

"Katsumi, I know it's hard to lose the ones we love, but I promise you it will get better with time. Whenever the weather is bad, you are welcome to stay here. I may not always be able to feed you, but you are always welcome."

I leaned into her and cried. "I miss them…"

"I know, dear."

I stayed with Desti's mom till I passed out.

About six months had passed since the fire and I was best friends with Desti. Currently, we were sneaking through the crowd at one of Prince Raj's speeches. We'd gotten good at stealing and were now able to pickpocket almost anyone and they wouldn't even notice.

I reached into one man's pocket and pulled out a ring. I put it back. I was only after money. People were more likely to try and track you down if you stole something other than coin. The other pocket had a few coins which I retrieved easily.

Once Desti and I had swiped from everyone we thought had money on them, we met in an alleyway.

"So how much did you get?" I asked.

"Twenty-five dil. What about you?"

"Fifteen dil."

"That's pretty good."

"So what should we buy this time?"

"We should get some jerky. That stuff lasts forever."

"But it's so chewy."

"Hey, for me, it's food and it's the best option."

Desti pouted.

"Fine, we'll also get some apples. We can even get one for Auntie." I called Desti's mom 'Auntie' because she treated me like a mom, but I didn't want to call her that. So, I settled on 'Auntie'.

"Yay!"

We made our purchases and made our way back to Desti's home. I kept the bags of jerky in my pockets but I made sure to walk with my hands in my pockets. When we entered the house, Desti presented the apple to his mom.

"Oh my, how did you get this?"

"I bought it."

We didn't give too much detail to Auntie so that we didn't get into trouble. If she knew, she never gave it away.

"Thank you, Desti."

"Mom, can Kat stay tonight?"

"I suppose. It looks like it's going to rain anyway."

"Thanks, Auntie!" I enthused.

That night, Desti and I stayed up late and munched on our apples.

"So, what are we going to do tomorrow?" Desti asked in hushed tones.

"I think we should step up our game."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that we should try and swipe a bag of coins from a noble. They always have more than enough money."

"But no one like that comes around here."

I flicked Desti's forehead. "Think, we need to go to them."

"I don't know, Kat."

"Come on, I can't do it without you." I pleaded and made my puppy dog face. I knew he could never say no when I gave him my puppy dog pout.

"Fine… I really hate it when you give me that look."

I grinned proudly. "Why do you think I do it?"

We continued to chat about all sorts of plans until late in the night.

Morning came way too early. I just wanted to stay in bed and sleep. I couldn't remember the time I had a chance to sleep in.

"Breakfast is ready! Time to get up!" I heard Auntie call.

Desti got up right away. "Come on, Kat."

"Sleep." I mumbled and rolled over putting my back to the door.

"Kat, you should get up."

"Tired."

"Okay, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Katsumi! It's time to get up." Auntie sounded like she was right behind me.

"But I'm tired."

"Well then maybe you shouldn't stay up till all hours of the night talking."

"Please, can I sleep in, just for today?"

"No."

"But… I'm comfy." I heard Auntie walk away.

"Kat, get out of bed before it's too late." Desti warned.

"I'm warm."

Auntie's steps returned and the blanket was suddenly removed.

"You're not warm now. Are you going to get up?" Auntie asked me.

"I wanna sleep…" I complained.

A sharp pain shot through my rear.

"OUCH! That hurts!" I turned and saw that Auntie was holding a wooden spoon.

"I told you, it's time to get out of bed."

I don't know what got into me, but I was determined to stay in bed. I hugged my pillow and refused to move.

Another sharp pain in my butt.

I figured she wouldn't do more than three. If I could stand one more then I would be able to stay in bed for a bit longer.

The third strike came and I bit my lip. That was it.

A fourth strike.

"OW!" I screeched.

"Are you going to get up?"

"No!"

A fifth strike, but this one was a little harder.

"Kat, trust me, you can't out stubborn mom!" Desti informed.

"Why are you being so mean?" I asked her.

"You agreed to follow my rules when you stayed here the first time. Do you remember that?"

I nodded.

"One of those rules was that you listen when I tell you to do something. I don't tolerate disobedience."

I looked at Desti who was signaling me like crazy to get up. I looked back at Auntie.

"Are you going to get up? Or would you like a sixth?" Auntie asked.

"I'm up!" I leapt out of bed.

Desti looked relieved.

"Good. Now, come eat breakfast."

Desti and I left the house after breakfast and I was rubbing my rear, trying to ease the pain.

"So… which plan are we going to use?"

"I don't know yet. We'll just have to see when we get there."

We weaved through the streets and made our way to the richer side of town. There were bound to be some sucker we could take advantage of. Desti and I hid in the alley as we watched all sorts of nobles walk by.

"What about him?" I pointed to a fat man who had looked like he had been eating too well.

"I thought you said you wanted to step up our game."

"You're right, it's no fun if there isn't a chance of them chasing you."

"What about him?" Desti pointed to a slender man who was browsing a jewelry stand.

"Yeah, he looks good."

"So, what's the plan?"

I thought for a minute.

"You distract him and I'll swipe the money bag."

"How do you want me to distract him?"

"Don't know, don't care, just do it."

"Fine, I'm going." Desti walked up and started touching every piece of jewelry he could reach.

The man and the shopkeeper immediately were on his case. I silently snuck up and swiped the whole bag of coins from the man's belt.

I started to walk away when I heard the man shout.

"Hey! Give that back!"

Desti and I took off running as fast as we could. I was faster than he was but in this case it was a good thing. Suddenly, I ran into something and landed hard on my rear.

"Ow…" My rear still hurt from this morning. I looked up and saw that I had run into none other than Prince Raj! He had another man with him, but I didn't know who it was.

Desti came running around the corner, but he was able to stop himself before crashing into the prince.

I leapt to my feet and gave a deep bow. "Sorry, Your Highness!"

Desti bowed as well.

Just then, we heard our victim catch up to us.

"Oh, Your Highness. Thank you for catching these two."

I cringed. This was not going to end well.

"Lift your heads, children." Prince Raj said.

We did and saw the prince giving us a serious look. His gaze shifted to the man behind us.

"What is this all about?"

"These two swiped my coin pouch."

"Is this true?!" His hard gaze locked on me since I held a coin pouch in my hands.

I shyly nodded, not having the strength to give him a verbal response. I was scared that he'd throw me in the dungeon or something. He was the prince after all.

"Return the man's money." Prince Raj ordered.

I turned around and slowly handed the man his money back.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

"You're welcome, Lord Kai."

I turned back around and gave another bow to the prince as I heard the nobleman leave.

"Now, what was all that about? Why are kids as young as you stealing?"

Desti answered for me, "She lost her parents in a fire and she has to steal in order to buy food."

"Oh? And what about you?"

"I'm her best friend."

I was surprised at Desti's confidence, but he was speaking the truth, so it wasn't like he was making up some cover story.

"I see." Prince Raj turned to the man beside him. "Sakaki, please tell the children what happens to thieves."

"Twenty lashes and thirty days in jail."

I froze in terror. Was Prince Raj going to punish us?

"How old are you two?" Prince Raj asked.

"Five." Desti answered for us, since I was now shaking uncontrollably.

"Then you are much too young. Children make mistakes."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me and I looked up at the prince.

"But," His voice was stern, "I don't want to catch you doing this again." He reached into his own coin pouch and pulled out some coins. "Hold out your hands."

Desti and I did as he asked. He placed three in my hands and three in Desti's.

"Th-Thank you, Your Highness." I finally managed to speak for myself.

"Ask an adult you trust to put that into a bank account for you. It will grow for you."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Desti echoed me.

"Now, off you go."

Desti and I took off running and we didn't stop till we reached his house. We asked Auntie to put the money into a bank account for us. She agreed and we went immediately. When it was done, she gave us each a small book and told us to keep it safe. It was a way to keep track of our money. We were walking back home when Auntie started asking us questions.

"Who told you to put money in the bank?"

"A grown up." I answered vaguely.

"Well, I figured that much. What was their name?"

I started to feel panicky. If I told her who it was, then we'd have to explain what happened. I didn't want anymore trouble.

"It-It was Prince Raj." Desti admitted.

"Desti, you know you shouldn't lie to me."

Now that Desti admitted it, I had to come clean otherwise he'd get in trouble. "It's true… we went to the rich side of town and stole some money off of a rich man. As we ran away, we got caught by Prince Raj."

Auntie was silent the rest of the way home. Once there, she got us to sit on the floor in front of her and tell her the whole thing.

"Do you realize how lucky you were that he was so kind to you?" Her voice was stern.

"Yes…" Desti and I said in unison.

"You may be too young for lashes, but he still could have thrown you two in the dungeon. Stealing is a crime that is not tolerated."

"A-Are we going to get punished?" I asked.

"I should, but it seems the prince has given you a good scare. I know that with how poor we are, stealing is sometimes necessary, but if you get caught again, the next person might not be as forgiving as the prince. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Desti and I answered at the same time.

"Good, now, go play."

Desti and I took off again. We crouched in the alley close to his house.

"Let's not steal from nobles anymore." Desti suggested.

"No argument here."

"So, what do you want to play?"

"Checkers."

"What?"

"I want to play checkers. I've had enough running around." It was true, but also didn't want any more trouble. If we played something loud, someone could get mad at us.

"But we don't have a checkers set."

"Okay… then let's go to the beach and play tic-tac-toe in the sand."

"Okay."

Desti and I sat in the sand and played our game till sunset.

"Well, I should go. You know mom doesn't like me out after dark."

"Yeah…" I always hated it when he had to go.

"I'll come back tomorrow. Promise."

I held out my pinky. "Pinky promise?"

He linked his pinky with mine. "Pinky promise." He confirmed.

We gave each other a hug and he took off towards home.

Once he was out of sight, I walked towards the water and splashed my bare feet in it. I never usually had shoes on. The ones I used to have fell apart and I was more concerned about food then my feet. I looked out at the ocean. The wind and the salty smell had a calming effect on me. I wish I'd come here more often with mom and dad.

My tears flowed freely as I thought about them. I missed them so much. I didn't even have anything to remember them by. I wanted nothing more than to hug them one more time. I sat down and pulled my knees in, resting my forehead on them. The tears didn't stop.

"Mommy… Daddy… Why did you have to die…?"

That night I cried myself to sleep.

 _I was running through a beautiful green field, spinning and twirling as I went. I was wearing a red dress that mom made me and I liked how it flowed._

" _Katsumi!"_

 _I turned around and saw mom and dad standing side by side. They were both smiling at me and held out their arms to me. I started running towards them. They were okay! I was so happy. I picked up my speed._

 _Suddenly! I was cut off by flames that were too high for me to jump over. I almost couldn't see them anymore._

" _Mom! Dad!"_

 _They didn't say a word and just turned around and started walking away._

" _Mom! Dad! Come back!"_

 _They kept walking._

" _MOM! DAD!"_

" _Kat!"_

 _I turned around and tried to find the voice that had called my name. I couldn't see anyone._

" _Kat!"_

"Kat!"

I shot up and smashed my head against something hard. My eyes watered. I laid back down to try and feel better. I looked up and saw Desti was holding a hand to his forehead.

"Don't scare me like that!" I complained.

"You were tossing and turning. Did you have another bad dream?"

I nodded. I had told Desti about my nightmares because he wouldn't leave it alone ever since I accidently smacked him in the face one night. He also seemed like he actually cared about it.

I took my time and told him exactly how the nightmare played out. He listened whole heartedly. When I was finished, he hugged me. He didn't say anything, but it wasn't needed. His hug let me know I wasn't alone.


	3. Chapter 3

Four more months passed. Desti and I checked our bank accounts every day, despite being told that it only changed every month. We just finished our daily trip, and now, we were sitting on a retaining wall looking out over the ocean.

"Desti, do you ever think about living on a ship?"

"Not really, why? Do you?"

"Yeah… every time a ship comes into port, the people on them are always smiling. Do you think living on a ship would be better than here?"

"I don't know. I'm happy as long as I'm with mom."

I sighed. "I think I would love to live on a ship, that way, I could wake up to the sea every morning."

"The way you talk about it, it does sound like it might be nice."

"Of course it would be! I could finally have some real adventures! If I ever get the chance, you should come with me!"

"I don't think I could do that. I'd miss mom too much. Wouldn't you miss her?"

"Duh! I would come back to visit! Besides, if I got on a ship, I could get someone to teach me how to use a sword. I haven't given up on being the best swordswoman ever!"

"Will you show me your skills when you're a pro?"

"Obviously! You'll be the first I'm going to show. You're my best friend after all."

"And you're mine."

About two months later, I was staying at Desti's again. The rain was coming down hard as we ate our dinner. Drops fell from the roof into buckets and pots below. I poked at my food. Of course it would rain on my birthday.

Auntie had spent a little extra money and made me a cake. I know I'm supposed to be happy on my birthday, but all I felt was pain in my heart.

 _~"Hi Niala! Ready to come over and have some cake? Mom made it special!"_

" _You bet, Katsumi! Your mom makes the best cake!"_

 _Niala quickly told her mother that she was coming over and we raced all the way back to my house. I won, of course. I was always the fastest runner, even out of the boys. We barged into the house and quickly sat down at the table.~_

"Is everything alright, Katsumi?" Auntie asked me.

"No…"

"What's wrong?" Her voice was kind.

Tears started falling down my face. "Mom and dad… they died on my birthday…" I started bawling. It just wasn't the same without them.

"Oh my… I didn't know. We don't have to celebrate if you don't want to."

"B-But you made a cake…"

"We can eat it tomorrow."

"Okay…"

That night, I curled up into a ball. The tears hadn't stopped since dinner. Desti climbed into the bed and pulled me into his arms. He didn't say anything as usual. I cried myself to sleep.

The next night it was dry and I had to sleep outside again. I had a hard time sleeping, which was no surprise. My nightmares had been worse. I didn't want to sleep.

Finally, I decided to get up and go for a walk. I wandered the docks and eyed the ships that were in port. I could stow away on one, but that wouldn't end well. I hopped up on a half wall and walked along it.

When I reached the end of the wall, I leapt down and saw a ship pulling into port. I was curious. Ships don't usually dock at night. I hid in the shadows and waited for it dock. Once it did, a nicely dressed man walked off the ship and started heading into town.

He didn't look like a noble, but he looked better dressed then most people. He must have some money. I tailed him as he weaved through the streets. I quickly and silently made my way to him and stretched out my hand to pick his pockets.

Suddenly! He grabbed my hand firmly, making me jump.

"Nothing there but trouble, kid." His voice was harsh.

I froze. What was he going to do with me? Auntie had said that the next time we got caught they might not be nice. Was he one of the mean people she was talking about?

He looked like he was angry, so I turned my face away and braced myself for whatever he was going to do.

"You're one of the youngest I've seen. How old are you?" His voice was a little softer now.

"I-I-I…" I was too scared to speak.

He released my hand and got down to my level. I saw his face was kinder and his dark eyes met my lavender ones.

"Don't be afraid. I'm not gonna hurt ya."

"I-I just turned six… my parents died when I was five…" The tears started falling from my eyes.

"Shite… fate hasn't been kind to you, has it?" He gently dried my tears. "I'll let you in on a secret. My wife died while she was still pregnant with our first child."

I sniffled. "Is-Is the baby okay?"

"No, the baby was still too little."

"I-I'm sorry that happened…" I didn't know what else to say. I was kind of relieved that someone else knew how I felt.

"So am I…" He paused for a moment. "How would you like to come with me? I've got plenty of food and I can teach you how to survive."

I felt hope start to fill my heart. I didn't think anyone, aside from Desti and Auntie cared about what happened to me. I also saw him come off of a ship, which meant that I could live on a ship! I wanted it to be true. I wanted so badly to live on a ship!

"Yes! I would like that more than anything!"

A smile crossed his face. "Alright then, there's just one thing we need to take care of."

"What's that?"

He didn't say a word, but he grabbed my long hair in one hand, pulled out a dagger, and cut my hair short.

"You need to pretend to be a boy, at least until you get older."

I fiddled with my short hair. It was weird.

The man stood up. "My name is Hirota. What's yours?"

"Katsumi."

"No good. Your new name is Katsuo."

I gave a nod. If it meant I could be on a ship, I would do almost anything.

"Let's go. You'll sleep on the ship tonight and I'll introduce you to the rest of the crew in the morning."

The next morning, Hirota was true to his word. He stood at the back of the ship that was by the ship's wheel at the top of a set of stairs. I stood beside him and was able to get a good look at him.

His body was big and had lots of muscle. His face was clean shaven and his brown hair was beginning to be speckled with silver hair. His loose red shirt, showed off his chest and his brown pants were a little baggy, but they tucked into his boots nicely. He had a sword at his left side that was attached to a leather belt to hold it in place.

I looked out and saw that we were already out at sea. The wind blew through my hair and gave me a shiver on my neck because it was short now.

"Listen up, you mangy sea dogs!"

Hirota's voice made me jump a little, but it got everyone's attention.

"We have a new lackey with us! His name is Katsuo! We're going to show him the ropes and teach him what it means to survive! If anyone mistreats him, they will answer to me! Understood?!"

"Yes, Captain!" the crew responded in unison.

"Good! Now get back to work!"

He turned his attention to me. "Let's get started."

I was confused. "Started on what, Captain?" I figured since the rest of the people called him that, I should too.

"Already calling me 'Captain'? You're pretty sharp, kid. I'm going to teach you how to use a sword. You can't be a pirate if you don't know how to fight."

Pirate?! I was going to be a pirate?! This was awesome! They were so cool! They could go wherever they wanted! The sea was their home!

He handed me a REAL sword?!

"Captain, aren't I supposed to use a practice sword?"

"Not here. That's a luxury. Here, you learn with the real thing."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. Now, time to focus."

Captain Hirota took the whole day teaching me the basics of how to use a sword. I gave it my all. I was going to be the best pirate I could be! I wasn't going to waste this chance. That night, I was so tired from training that I flopped on the bed and passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The next few weeks were gruelling. My whole body ached as I pushed myself to learn how to use a sword. I wasn't strong enough to do much on a ship, so I was put to work scrubbing the deck. When the fighting started, I was hidden below deck because I would just get in the way. I was determined to be better. I wanted to be the best there was and, slowly but surely, I found myself getting stronger and better.

Today was like any other day on the Phoenix. I was on all fours scrubbing the deck when some of the crew came by and watched me. I always hated it when they did that.

One of them spilled some rum onto where I had just scrubbed.

"Hey, pretty boy, you missed a spot."

His buddies snickered.

I went over the spot again. I knew they were being jerks because I was new. I wasn't good at anything else yet.

The same man poured more on a different spot and chuckled. "You missed another spot. Yur cruddy at scrubbing the deck."

I was getting irritated. "Then why don't you do it?"

"Because I do important stuff around here! Yur just scum that the Captain took in as his new pet!"

"I am not!" I shouted as I leapt to my feet. "I'm going to be the best swordsman on the Phoenix! Just wait and see!"

He gave me a light shove and I tumbled backwards, landing on my rear.

"Some swordsman! You can't even keep your balance!"

I stood back up and I couldn't hold my temper any longer. I threw my scrub brush at his head. It hit it's mark and sent him reeling backwards.

"Now who can't keep their balance?"

He did his best to recover. "You scrawny brat! Yur gunna pay for that!" He grabbed me by the shirt and slammed me against the mast, knocking the wind out of me.

Before I could catch my breath, pain shot through the left side of my face causing the right side to hit the mast. I'd never been punched in the face before. It hurt more than the time I tried to out stubborn Auntie.

His fist landed hard on my face again. Tears welled up in my eyes from the pain, but I felt a fire stir inside of me. I could either let him keep hitting me, or I could defend myself. I chose the latter.

Because my feet were off the ground, I quickly brought my foot straight up and caught him in the tender spot between his legs. He cried out in pain as he dropped me. I landed on my feet and he went tumbling to the deck. He curled up and whimpered.

"Serves you right, Thane."

I watched as the captain made his way down the steps from the wheel of the ship.

"Captain…" Thane groaned as he did his best to stand up. "I was just…"

"I saw the whole thing."

"Why didn't you help?" I complained.

Hirota turned his attention to me. "I wanted to see how you'd handle the situation and I'd say you handled it well." He glared back at Thane. "I warned you not to mistreat him."

"Yes sir." Thane took a deep breath. "I'm ready for the lashes."

"I should beat you, but I think the pain in your groin is enough this time. He got you good."

"Thank you, Captain."

"This is your only warning. You hit him again and I'll personally see that you get what's coming to you."

"Yes, Captain."

The captain went back to what he was doing and Thane locked his deep golden eyes with my lavender ones. I didn't dare back down. I had defended myself and let him know that I couldn't be pushed around so easily.

Thane ran his hand through his auburn hair. "Just so you know, Katsuo, kicking another man like that is fighting dirty. Next time we fight, fight like a man."

Before I could respond, Thane walked away without another word. My eyes followed him.

I let out a huff. Being on a ship was nothing like what I thought it was going to be, but I did get to see the ocean every morning. I only hoped that the crew would learn to accept me. Then again, they thought I was a boy. What was going to happen when I was revealed as a girl? I'd been here long enough to know that everyone thought that women were bad luck on a ship.

"Hey! Pretty boy!"

I was brought back to reality from my thoughts. Thane was glaring at me.

"What?!" I called back with sass.

"Stop staring at me and get back to work!"

"Yeah, I know!"

I retrieved my scrub brush and went back to work.

As the next two years went by, I got better and better at using a sword. Captain Hirota bought a long sword for me to use. He explained that we can steal anything we want or need, except our swords. He believed that stealing a sword was bad luck.

I didn't mind the long sword, but it felt awkward and I still had to use two hands. My stance was good and I didn't fall over anymore, but my speed and power were seriously lacking.

"Kat!" The captain's voice boomed.

"Yes, sir?" I stood up from scrubbing the deck and faced him.

"Once we pull into Obral, you're coming with me ashore. We're going to find you a proper sword. One you can wield more easily."

"Really?!" I was overflowing with excitement.

"Yes. Now tone down the enthusiasm and get back to work."

"Aye, aye, Captain!"

The next day, we docked in Obral. My eyes went wide with wonder. The docks were so busy and there were so many different types of people.

The captain held onto my hand tightly and practically dragged me through the crowd. I felt like my arm was going to get pulled off. Finally, we arrived at a market stall that sold all sorts of swords. I only recognized two of the swords. Thankfully, all the swords had labels.

I glanced over all the different types of swords until my gaze fell on one labeled 'wakizashi'.

"I want to see this one please." I told the shopkeeper.

"Nice choice, young man!" The shopkeeper pulled it out from behind the case, pulled it from its sheath, and presented it to me. "Wakizashis are among the most lightweight of swords. They give you the ability to move quickly and they are also…"

I grazed my thumb across the blade to check its sharpness. However, even with the normal amount of pressure I usually applied, I still cut my thumb. I was shocked when blood dripped onto the blade.

"...very sharp," the shopkeeper groaned.

"I didn't even press that hard!"

"The people who forge wakizashis are from here, in Obral. They pride themselves on sharp blades."

I tore off a small piece of my shirt and wrapped it around my thumb. Then I felt the weight of the sword. I liked it. It felt perfect for me, but I felt like something was missing.

"Captain, can I get two?" I asked.

"Two? What in the name of Poseidon do you want two for?"

"You're always telling me never to let my enemy disarm me. If I have two swords, it becomes a lot less likely. And holding only one feels weird."

The shopkeeper spoke up again, "If you're serious about this, then I'm going to tell you right now that you can't block direct hits. If you do, you'll break your blades."

"How am I supposed to fight if I can't block?!"

"You deflect."

I stood there and thought for a moment. They were nice and light, but having to deflect instead of blocking, that was going to be hard. Was it really worth it? Chances are, I would end up breaking my blades a few times before getting the hang of them.

"What do you say, Kat? Do you still want the wakizashis?" Hirota asked me.

"You could also use daggers or rapiers if you want something else that's still lightweight. And they aren't as expensive to replace if you break a blade."

"No. I want the wakizashis!" I was determined now. If I was going to be the best swordswoman in the world, I was going to stand out. I didn't want to avoid something just because it was going to be hard to learn.

"Are you sure?" The captain questioned.

"Yes!"

"Alright then."

He handed the merchant the correct amount for two wakizashis.

"You're the first dual wielder I've seen. I hope it works out for you." The shopkeeper remarked as Hirota and I started walking away with my new swords in hand.

I was overjoyed. Now, I was one step closer to being the best.


	4. Chapter 4

Everyday, for the next six months, was spent obsessively training with my wakizashis. It was a new feeling, holding two swords, but I was getting the hang of it. For the first while, I noticed that I was using one sword more than the other. I had to tell myself out loud that both had to be used equally. Once I got that figured out, I started working on my speed. It was amazing how fast I could go now that I had such lightweight swords.

Deflecting instead of blocking came easier than I expected. As my speed and agility started to improve, I found deflecting came almost automatically. I felt I was still a far cry from using the skills in a real battle though.

Presently, I was training with Captain Hirota. He had his long sword and I had my wakizashis. We were going at half speed so that I wouldn't break my blades while I was still learning.

"You've got quite a knack for those swords, Kat." The captain complimented.

"Thank you, sir."

"Keep it up and you'll be better than me in no time."

"You really think so?"

"Of course. You've learned a lot in such a short amount of time. I give you a few years, and I'd wager you'll be able to beat anyone on the Phoenix."

I couldn't help but smile. It was nice to hear such high praise from the captain. He was a good man, my dad probably would have liked him.

The thought of my dad turned my joyful face into a sad one. Tears started to stream down my face. I tried to hold them back. No one else on the Phoenix cried, so why should I? It was three and a half years ago now. Should I really still be crying every time I think about it? No! I wiped the tears from my eyes and fought back my grief.

"Captain!" Thane called from the crow's nest. "We've got trouble heading our way!"

Captain Hirota took out his telescope and looked in the direction that Thane pointed. "Shite! It's the Dark Phantoms!"

"The Dark Phantoms?" I echoed.

"Sorry, Kat, but I'll need you to fight in this one."

"But I don't think I'm ready!"

"You _are_ ready. Even if you weren't, it would be better for you to die in battle than be taken hostage by them."

"Why? What makes them so bad?"

The captain let out a sigh. "Do you remember the stories I told you about The Claw of the Sea?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, their rivals were the Dark Phantoms. They are just as cruel and ruthless as the Claw was. We are all going to have to fight."

I felt fear freeze me in place. This was going to be my first battle! Every other time the fighting was about to start, I hid below deck. I had never killed anyone before. I didn't even know if I could.

"I-I don't know if I can…"

Captain Hirota crouched down in front of me and placed both hands on my shoulders as he locked eyes with me. "I know it can be scary, but if you don't, you'll die. This is what it means to survive."

I had no idea that surviving meant that I would have to kill. Was it really necessary?

"What if I just hurt them enough to get them to stop?"

"Then they'll kill you." His face grew more serious. "Kat, when we pick up a sword, we accept the fact that we will kill at some point. Sometimes it comes down to your life or theirs." He stood up keeping his eyes locked with mine. "Now, you have a choice to make. Will you die today?"

The power of his words reached my heart. "No!"

"Good." He stood up again and drew his own sword. "As soon as they catch up to us, do what you've trained to do."

"Yes, sir!" I held both swords at the ready. My heart was beating rapidly inside my chest and my adrenaline was starting to pick up. "I will not die today." I whispered to myself.

Moments later the ship pulled up alongside us and we were quickly boarded. I was quickly met by a man who was three times my size. He lifted his large sword above his head. I dodged and his sword crashed into the deck of the ship.

"Yur gunna have to do better than that!" I taunted. I don't know why I did it. I was terrified, so why was I making jokes?

"Get back here, you little runt!" He charged at me again.

I dodged forward, quickly turned around and gave him a jab in the back. He cried out in agony, but he was still standing and turned to face me. Our eyes locked. There was a fire of hatred in his eyes. No compassion, no love, and no fear. I knew right then, if I didn't kill him, he was going to kill me.

He came at me full force again. I barely managed to dodge because of the speed of his attack. I turned to give him another jab, but the hilt of his sword smashed into my face and sent me flying. I ached all over as I stood back up.

He swung his sword over his head and was about to bring it down on top of me. I forced myself to move; the adrenaline helped. His sword landed on the deck behind me and I ran him through the heart and the gut with my swords.

I looked up at him. There was shock in his eyes. He spat up blood and it landed on my face. I was frozen for a moment as the look on his face burned into my mind. I withdrew my swords and the man collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

I just stared at him. I looked down at the blood on my swords. I had no idea this is what it really meant to wield a blade; and I had chosen to wield two. I had just killed a man. If I hadn't, he would have killed me, but did that make it okay?

The captain's appearance right in front of me and the sound of his voice brought me back to reality.

"Kat, quit standing around! You can do your soul searching later!"

I gripped my swords tighter. He was right. Right now I had to survive. "Yes, sir!"

I lunged back into battle. I started taking down one man after another. It seemed like any opponent I fought didn't know how to deal with a kid with two swords. Their shock was what I used to my advantage. If I didn't, then I knew they would kill me.

After several hours of fighting, I was getting tired, but my adrenaline was still flowing freely. I was clashing swords with yet another man, but he was using a smaller sword than the first guy I'd fought. He was quicker too.

I did my best to deflect, but I was too slow on my next dodge and the tip of his sword grazed across my stomach.

I cried out in pain and collapsed to the deck clutching my stomach. The whole area throbbed. Thane quickly came to my rescue and ended the life of the man that had injured me.

"You alright, pretty boy?"

I did my best to examine my wound. As much pain as I was in, it didn't look fatal. "I think so."

"Good! Now let's finish these bastards!"

"Right!"

I forced myself to stand up. I didn't care how much pain I was in. I had heard of some men fighting with missing limbs or after they'd been riddled with arrows. I wasn't going to be a yellow belly! I was going to fight!

Finally, just as the sun was setting, the fighting came to an end. I was so relieved. I felt myself get light headed and start to fall. I felt strong arms catch me.

"Alright, pretty boy, let's get you fixed up."

I looked up and saw it was Thane. He took me to the captain's quarters and laid me on the bed.

"You can leave now, Thane." Captain Hirota ordered.

"Yes, sir."

I felt the pain in my stomach start to get worse and I couldn't help but groan.

"Hang on, Kat. Akiba is going to patch you up good as new."

Akiba was his second in command. He was a good physician, but I'd never been wounded before. I didn't know what to expect.

"Sorry, Kat, but I have to get a little personal." Akiba tore my shirt open and I instinctively covered myself.

"Relax. He already knows." The captain reassured me.

I relaxed my arms.

"Here, bite on this." Akiba instructed. It was a piece of leather.

"Why?" I groaned, still in pain.

"Because I have to clean the wound and stitch you up. The wound is deep and we don't have the means to cauterize it."

I took the piece of leather in my mouth.

"Hirota, I'll need you to hold her still. Because of her young age, she won't have the same tolerance we do."

The captain firmly grasped my shoulders. "Just look at me, okay?"

I nodded.

The whole procedure was painful and I was grateful for the piece of leather in my mouth. After what seemed like forever, it was finally done.

"Alright, Kat, now I need you to stand up."

Was he serious?! How was I supposed to stand up?! "I-I don't know if I can…"

"I need you to try. It's the best way I can dress your wound."

I slowly got up. With the captain's help, I was able to stand. Akiba wrapped the bandage around me and gave me a clean shirt to wear. The captain helped me lay down on the bed again.

"How long till you figure she's back on her feet?"

"I'll say two months, although, she could be ready as early as six weeks."

Captain Hirota turned to me. "You're on bed rest till you're ready to get back to work."

"Yes, sir."

"Get some rest now, you fought well out there today. You've earned it."

"Thank you, Captain."


	5. Chapter 5

For the next two months, I allowed myself to heal from my wound. Captain Hirota checked in on me everyday. He had explained to me that the ship had been so badly damaged in the fight that we needed to dock in Obral. He said he didn't know how long it would be, but he said that the damage would take a while to fully repair.

I was finally ready to go ashore, so once I got the captain's permission, I went out to try and find something to do. I browsed the shops and found one that sold books. If we were going to be here a while, it would be nice to have something to do.

I glanced over all the titles until my lavender eyes landed on one called 'Pirate Ron's Revenge'. I picked it up and started reading. I was hooked instantly. I dug around in my coin purse and pulled out the correct amount of money then handed it to the clerk.

I wandered around as my mind was pulled into the new reality. Pirate Ron had his family murdered in front of him and was on his way to search for revenge. I felt like I could connect with Ron. At least he could get revenge. Because my parents died in a fire, there was no one around to blame and I couldn't exactly claim revenge on fire.

I let out a long sigh and I finally looked up from my book. I didn't recognize where I was. The dock was nowhere in sight and neither was the market.

"Shite…" I mumbled under my breath. I was completely lost.

I pulled out my compass and looked at it. I knew the docks were on the west shore because I'd seen enough maps. I tried following my compass but with the way the streets twisted and turned, I wasn't able to stay true to my course. There was next to nothing for alleyways too.

Finally, I got fed up and found a place where I could get up onto the roofs. Not only could I see the Phoenix from there, but I could also jump from roof to roof. I didn't know why I didn't think of this before.

When I got up top, I searched and found the docks were quite far away. Much farther than I expected. I was about to start heading that direction when I heard someone shouting at me.

"Hey! What are you doing up here?!"

I turned and saw a man dressed as a guard coming right for me. I felt my adrenaline kick in and I sprinted away. I wasn't going to get caught. I needed to get back to the Phoenix.

"Get back here!"

I ignored him and kept running. My heart was pounding and I was going so fast I felt like I was going to trip over my own feet. I needed to get away. I needed to find one of my crew mates. I pushed myself harder and I tried to go faster. That turned out to be a bad idea. My foot slipped on the edge of a roof and I started to fall to the ground head first.

"Damn it!" I heard the man call out behind me.

I closed my eyes and prepared to crash hard onto the unforgiving cobblestone street below but it never came. I opened my eyes slowly and saw that I was still two stories above the ground. There was a firm hand on my right ankle.

"You okay, kid?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"I'm going to pull you up."

After I was back on the roof, I tried to take off again, but the man still had a grip on my ankle.

"Hang on a minute! You're not in any trouble."

I stopped struggling and looked at him. "I'm not?"

"No. I was calling out to you to get your attention. Why are you up here?"

"Why are you?" I sassed back.

"Don't give me lip, boy. I asked you first."

"Fine… I was trying to get back to the docks."

The man raised an eyebrow. "It's about to get dark, why were you heading there?"

I crossed my arms. Did he think I was dumb? I wasn't going to answer another question of his till he answered my first one. "I'm not saying nothing till you tell me why you are up here."

He smirked. "Alright, I suppose that's fair. My name is Tamio, I'm one of the guards that patrols the area. I get up on the roofs because it's easier to spot trouble."

I was surprised. Captain Hirota told me to never volunteer information, yet Tamio was open with his name and his job. Neither of which I had asked for.

"Now, what's your name and why were you heading to the docks?"

"I'm Katsuo. I was trying to get back to my ship. The captain is probably wondering where I am."

"I see. Well, I guess I could take you there."

I was surprised yet again. "You don't have to do that. I can make it if I stay on the roofs."

"I'm going to take you back. It's part of my job to make sure everyone stays safe. Since you almost fell already, I'm going to take you back the safe way."

"I only slipped cuz you were chasing me…" I grumbled.

Tamio smacked me upside the head. "Now what did I say about lip?"

"Sorry…"

"Apology accepted. Now, let's go find your captain."

We made our way to the docks. I had no clue how Tamio could navigate these streets. They were completely different from the streets in Tanbarun, so I guess that explains why it was hard to figure it out.

Finally, we arrived at the docks.

The captain spotted me immediately and marched over. "Kat! Where the hell were you?! You've been gone for hours! I have half the men searching for you!"

I looked at the ground. I didn't think he would be that worried. I was just a crewman like everyone else. "I-I'm sorry. I bought a book and I read it as I walked around… when I looked up, I was lost…"

"I found him on the roofs, sir. After he almost fell off of the roof trying to run away, I figured I'd better bring him back. He's fine."

The captain blew his whistle then spoke again. "Thank you." He gave me a stern look. "Kat, get on the ship."

"Y-Yes sir." I did as he said.

I sat on the bed in the captain's quarters waiting for Hirota to return. I was terrified. I'd never seen the captain so upset before, at least not at me. Was I going to get lashes? Or worse, was he going to kick me off and leave me here?!

The sound of heavy footsteps made me freeze. Hirota opened the door, stepped inside and closed the door again, leaning against it as he ran his hands over his face. It was like he was trying to wash his face.

He let out a heavy sigh. "Kat, you need to always be aware of your surroundings. If you let yourself get distracted like that… you could end up getting killed. Especially here."

"W-What's my punishment going to be…?"

"I won't punish you if you promise to listen to what I just said and apply it. Will you do that?"

"Y-Yes, but…"

"Why did I worry so much?" He finished my question for me. "It's because I see you as my own child, Kat. I can't for the life of me figure out why… no that's a lie… I think it's because you're the same age my child would have been, had they survived."

I felt my heart ache as I saw the pain form on his face. I was without parents and he was without a child. My life on the Phoenix was teaching me that we could find family in each other.

"I can be your kid if you want. I don't mind." I said shyly.

He gave me a sweet smile. "I'd like that. You know that means that I'm going to worry about you more, right?"

"Yeah, but I'll make sure to do my best and not worry you anymore than I have to."

"Good."

"Can I give you a hug?" I loved giving out hugs but with being a pirate, I hadn't had the chance to do it much. Now seemed like a good time.

Hirota didn't say anything and just pulled me into a hug. I hugged back and relaxed in his strong protective arms. He'd never be able to replace my dad, of course, but I was happy that Hirota could be like another dad.

The next day, I powered through my chores and then climbed up to the crow's nest. It was my favorite part of the whole ship. I looked out at the sea and took a deep breath in. I could smell that winter would be coming soon. I wondered if we would be staying long enough for me to actually have a chance to play in the snow.

After taking in the view, I sat down and pulled out my book. I was once again absorbed in the tale of Pirate Ron. I couldn't stop reading. It was just too good to put down. However, I listened to Hirota and kept my ears open.

Suddenly, some shouting caught my attention.

"Well, look at what we have here, boys!"

I peaked over the top of the crows nest and saw that the shouting was coming from a nearby ship. I watched as a woman dressed like an exotic dancer with her hands tied behind her back was thrown down to the deck. A large man stood in front of her with his hands on his hips.

"I bet she'll fetch a good price!"

A good price? They were planning on selling her? But why?

"As a dancer? Or a whore?"

"How about both!"

I'd heard the term 'whore' before. That's what Thane and the others called women they would pay for company. I didn't know exactly what went on, but I knew it was more than just kissing. I started to feel my anger rise up. Who would force someone into a life they didn't want? Regardless of the job. It wasn't fair! I was going to put a stop to this!

I quietly climbed down and started to sneak away from the Phoenix. My wakizashis were already strapped tight on my back.

"Where do you think yur going?" It was Thane's voice.

I turned around. "I'm going to save that woman." I said in a firm voice.

"I don't think so."

"Why not?!"

"You don't know how many men they have or who they work for. If you go in there like a tazmanian devil with swords, you'll get killed."

"But she doesn't want to be with them! I'm going to save her! You can help me or walk away."

Thane crossed his arms. "Why are you so determined to help her?"

I stood up straighter. "I refuse to live up to the stereotype that all pirates are scum!"

"I hate to break it to you, pretty boy, but we _are_ scum."

"No! We can change that! I'm going to be the pirate that stands up for those who need it! I'm going to be an honorable pirate!"

Thane chuckled. "You pull that off, I'll be your first mate."

"I'm going." I said finally and turned to leave.

"Wait, Kat."

I stopped.

"If you are that determined to save her, then I'll help you."

I turned back around. "You will?"

"Yeah, but we're doing it my way. Got it?"

I gave him a nod.

The next few hours were spent with Thane as he explained the rescue mission. We were going to go in quick and quiet. He explained to me that charging in wasn't always the answer. Sometimes it was beneficial to sit back and think before acting.

Finally, it was the dead of night and Thane and I snuck aboard the ship. It was fairly empty. Thane explained beforehand that most of the men were ashore in the brothels. We slowly and quietly searched and searched. Finally, we found the woman in the back of the cargo hold.

She had her hands tied up still and there was a tie around her mouth to keep her quiet. Her long black hair fell on either side of her face as she cried. She looked up and went wide eyed when she saw us. She tried to get away, but there was no place for her to run.

"It's okay, we're here to get you out." Thane spoke gently to her.

She relaxed a little and let Thane take off the tie around her mouth.

"How do I know you're not just saying that?! You could be trying to trick me!" Her voice was just a whisper, but I could tell she was scared and angry.

"I'm the one who decided to rescue you." I explained. "This is my crewmate."

"No offence, pretty boy, but why would you care about me? Doesn't your crew do the same thing?"

I shook my head. "No, we aren't heartless like these guys."

"That still doesn't convince me as to why a couple of boys care about a woman's well being."

Thane lashed out at her while still keeping his voice low. "I am a man, I'll have you know!"

"You look like a boy to me."

"Keep pushing, and I'll prove I'm a man."

That didn't sound good.

"Thane! We aren't here to fight with her! We need to get her out before we get caught!" I looked at her again. "I'll tell you why you can trust us." I leaned in and whispered quietly enough that only she could hear me. "I'm a girl disguised as a boy." I pulled back and saw the shock on her face.

She quickly recovered. "Fine. Get me out of here."

Thane cut her ropes and we snuck off the ship with her. It was surprisingly easy. We traveled a fair distance from the docks and made sure she made it back to where she was staying.

"Thank you. I wasn't looking forward to being sold." The woman's voice was kinder.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" Thane asked.

"Yuri. And I believe yours is Thane."

"You catch on quick."

I was kind of confused as to what was going on.

"So, Yuri," Thane pulled her close to him. "Do you offer services other than dancing?"

"Only to select people." She ran her hands through Thane's hair. "I guess since you helped rescue me, I could put you on the list."

"Can I cash in now?" Thane smirked.

I was starting to get uncomfortable. What exactly were they talking about? I hope I didn't have to get involved.

"Absolutely. Please, come inside."

I didn't want to go inside. I wanted to go back to the ship.

"Thane… can we go back to the ship?" I asked.

"Not yet." He pulled me inside along with him as he followed Yuri.

I sat on the couch and Thane disappeared into the next room with Yuri. It didn't take long before sounds started coming out of the room. I don't know why, exactly, but my face started to burn. I was curious, but there was no way I was going to go see.

I did my best to distract myself and not listen in. Finally, Thane emerged again, doing up the top of his pants as he came out.

"Now we can go." He said with a smirk on his face. It was different than before. I couldn't' quite tell how.

As we walked, my curiosity got the best of me. "Umm… Thane?"

"What is it, pretty boy?"

"What did you and Yuri do?"

"I took her to bed."

I gave him a confused look. "What does that mean?"

"I had sex with her." He replied bluntly.

"What's sex?"

Thane let out a heavy sigh. "You don't even know that? I thought you would have figured it out by now."

Thane then took the time to explain in detail, and vulgarly, what sex was. He didn't leave a single thing to the imagination. I couldn't help but blush at the explanation. I didn't know people did that. Since I was only going to be nine in a few months, I thought it was gross.

"I don't think I'll ever want to do something like that." I told Thane once he was done explaining.

"Give it time. I figure around thirteen is when you'll start wanting it. That's when it started for me."

"How old are you now?" I took the chance to change the topic.

"Just turned seventeen two weeks ago."

"Oh… Happy birthday."

Thane gave me a curious look. "You're an odd boy, ya know that?"

I froze. Did he know I wasn't really a boy?! Had he figured it out somehow?!

"C'mon, let's get back."

I let out the breath I had been holding and walked back in silence with Thane.

The next morning, I was awakened by shouting. It was so loud it was starting to give me a headache. I made my way up on deck and saw that the large man from the ship that had taken Yuri was shouting at Captain Hirota.

"DON'T TRY TO DENY IT! I HEARD SOMEONE FROM THIS SHIP SAY THAT THEY WERE GOING TO 'SAVE' HER!"

He'd heard me?! Shite! This wasn't good.

"Calm down. My men are honest if one of them did do it then we'll deal with them accordingly."

"NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I WANT THE THIEF TO GET TWENTY LASHES!"

SHITE! This was not good!

"I'll see that it's handled, now please leave, you're making a fool of yourself."

"NO! I WILL BE THE ONE GIVING THE LASHES! YOU'D BE TOO SOFT! I CAN TELL JUST BY LOOKIN' AT YA!"

I had no choice. I needed to speak up. "Captain…"

"What is it, Kat? I'm kinda busy here."

"It was me. I'm the one that rescued the woman."

The large man grabbed me by the shirt and lifted me off the ground. Before anyone could say or do anything, he backhanded me across the face. My face stung and tears began to fill my eyes. He wasn't holding back.

"That's enough! We've already decided on a punishment!" Captain Hirota intervened.

"Then bind him to the mast! I'm doing this now!"

Before I knew what was happening, I was bound tightly around the main mast and the back of my shirt was torn open. Moments later an extreme pain shot through my back. I couldn't help but cry out. Twice more it happened. Tears were streaming down my face. How was I supposed to endure twenty of these?!

"Stop!" It was Thane. "It wasn't him! I talked him out of it but then I rescued the woman by myself! He had nothing to do with the actual rescue!"

I was in so much pain I couldn't move. I felt the ropes that had bound my wrists loosen and I was pulled away from the mast. I was then forced to stand and watch as Thane took my full punishment, plus three more to make up for the ones I'd already received.

"There! Punishment has been dealt! NOW LEAVE!" I'd never heard Captain Hirota use so much force in his voice.

The large man left without another word.

"Akiba! Fix these two up and get them below deck!" Captain Hirota ordered.

"Yes, sir!"

My legs finally gave out from under me. Honestly, I was surprised I lasted this long. Akiba caught me before I hit the deck.

"Help… Thane… first…" I muttered.

"Kito and Itaru have him. I'm going to tend to you first."

I felt myself relax and, despite the pain, I passed out.


	6. Chapter 6

A couple of weeks flew by and Thane and I were well on the road to recovering from our lashes. I had tried apologizing to Thane but he just sloughed it off. He said it wasn't a big deal and that if I'd received the full punishment, I would have died. I still felt like I needed to make it up to him. I remembered the smirk he had on his face when he and Yuri went to bed together.

My face flushed. I wanted to make it up to Thane but I didn't know him well enough yet to get him something else. This was the only thing that came to mind.

I was looking out at the sea, thinking of how exactly I was going to get a whore to him.

"You look deep in thought." I turned and saw Akiba standing beside me.

"I was just thinking about how I can repay Thane. He took my punishment…"

"You still feel bad about that, huh?"

"I do… I was the one who initiated everything, I should have been the one to pay the price."

"You have more honour than most of us." Akiba locked eyes with me. "Did you have something in mind?"

My face flared up red again. "I-I was thinking… maybe… paying for a whore… He really seemed to enjoy Yuri…"

A smirk crossed Akiba's lips. "That sounds like a good idea."

"Really?"

"As you'll find out eventually, men want two things in life. A full belly and an attractive woman to stick their cock in. Not necessarily in that order. You pay for a whore for Thane, you'll be in his good books for a while. Hell, he'll probably even repay the favor someday."

"I don't know about that…" I mumbled.

"Hm?"

Obviously, he hadn't heard me.

"Nothing… Could you help me?"

"Sure. I'll use almost any excuse to go to the brothel."

We arrived at the brothel and it was filled with women who looked like they were only half dressed. I felt a fire light up on my face. This was not something I was used to seeing.

"What can I do for you tonight, sir?" One of the women asked Akiba.

"I want to hire someone for a friend of mine." Akiba answered.

"Him?" The woman gestured to me. "He looks a little young still."

"N-No, not me… I want to repay my friend… I'm paying for it." I felt like I was going to have no face if this fire burned any hotter.

"What were you looking for, pretty boy?" She asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

I pulled my coin pouch off of my belt and handed it to her. "Whatever two thousand dil will get me."

The woman's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. I knew it was a lot of money, but Thane deserved it.

"Your friend must really be something if you're willing to drop that much. Wait here."

Akiba gave me a shocked look as well as the woman walked away.

"You sure you want to spend that much?" He asked.

"Yes." I stated plainly.

"Okay…"

The woman returned with another, more elegantly dressed woman.

"This is Scarlet. I'll leave you to discuss the details." The first woman said then left.

Scarlet was dressed in all red and had long mocha coloured hair. She placed her hands on her hips and shifted her weight seductively. It was hard not to stare.

"So, Weiss tells me you have enough to afford me. Who's the lucky man?"

"He's at the ship…" I explained. "Will you come with us?"

She shook her head. "Sorry, I don't go to ships. I'll meet him anywhere on dry land."

"How about that fancy hotel on the coast then?" Akiba suggested.

"It's on land isn't it?"

"Then I'll put up the fee for the room."

"No need. The mistress covers all of that. I'll meet him at the penthouse suit. Now, all I need is his name."

"It's Thane." I told her. "Can you meet him tonight?" I knew it was a long shot but I was also impatient.

"Pretty boy, for what you've paid I'll make myself available for tonight."

"Then we'll make sure he's there." Akiba agreed.

Finally, the conversation was done and we returned back to the ship. I was happy to be out of there. It made me uncomfortable. I was glad that Akiba came with me.

"Where were you two hiding?" Captain Hirota asked.

"Just securing a surprise for Thane." Akiba answered.

"I see."

Later that night, I found Thane right after dinner.

"Thane, I have a surprise for you."

He gave me a quizzical look.

"It's nothing bad." Akiba threw his arm around Thane. "Come on! I'll take you to it!"

"Okay, but if this is some sort of prank, you should know that I fight back."

"It's not a prank! I promise!" I eagerly defended.

Akiba dragged Thane off the ship and headed to the fancy hotel. I watched them go in and let out a sigh. Now, I could feel like we were somewhat even.

About noon the next day, Thane returned and gave me a big hug. I went stiff. Sure, I liked hugs but this was so unlike him.

"What's that for?" I asked after he finally let go.

"That was the best surprise ever! I can't believe you payed out that much!"

I was surprised. "Do you know how much I paid?"

"No, but I know she couldn't have come cheap!" He tussled my hair. "You are my new best friend!"

"Really?"

"Absolutely!"

A few more days passed and I was getting bored again. I walked along the ship's rails as I tried to think about what to do. I was getting annoyed. Obral was amazing, but I didn't see anyone close to my age, so life at the moment was pretty dull.

Just then, I saw Tamio walking along the storefronts in port. Excited at seeing him again, I ran up to him.

"Hi, Tamio!"

"Hello, Katsuo."

"Please tell me you know something I can do! I'm bored out of my mind here!"

He smirked. "Do you want to play? Or do you want to train?"

"Train!" I loved to train. I knew I would always get stronger when I trained.

"Follow me."

I eagerly did as he asked. We weaved through the streets and we finally came to a quaint house on the outside of town.

"What are we doing here?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Well since you like jumping on roofs so much, I figured a little hand to hand combat training will do you good." Tamio knocked on the door.

After a moment, an older man emerged.

"Dad, this is Katsuo. Would you mind training him?"

The old man smirked. "Another one of your strays, huh?"

Strays?! "I'm not a stray!" I protested.

"If you live on a ship, you're a stray." The old man clarified. "She sure has a lot of spirit."

Shite! The old man called me a 'she'.

"I think you're going blind old man. Katsuo is a boy."

"My eyes are just fine! It's you who's going blind if you think she's a boy!"

I didn't like this one bit! People weren't supposed to know I was a girl, yet this old man picked it up in only minutes!

Tamio turned his attention to me and studied me closely. He got closer and examined my face. "Well I'll be damned. You _are_ a girl."

Terror shot through me and I did the only thing I could think of. I dropped to the ground and placed my forehead down in a deep bow.

"Please don't tell anyone! It's supposed to be a secret! The crew would probably kick me out if they knew! Please, please, please, don't tell!" I felt myself starting to tremble. "Please… the Phoenix is my home now… I don't want to lose it."

"Raise your head, girl." The old man spoke.

I did.

"We won't tell anyone. But if you're planning on continuing to live amongst men, then I'm going to have to teach you how to fight. If you can prove yourself, I'm sure that when they find out that you're a girl, they will be more willing to accept you. Now the only question is, are you willing to train hard and follow my orders without question?"

I stood up and gave a proper bow. "I will do anything to be the best swordswoman in the world!"

The old man smirked. "You found a gem this time, Tamio. I'll make sure she's trained to the best of my ability before she leaves again."

"I'm sure she'll do well. You should have seen her on the roofs." Tamio remarked.

"Thank you, sir."

"Please, call me Asuma."

The next few months were filled with training. I snuck away from the Phoenix every chance I could get. We were still stuck in port. Thanks to the snow that had now fallen on the ground and the colder weather, the captain said we'd probably stay in Obral to ride out the winter. When I asked why, he just grumbled. Something about parts or nails or something like that. I figured he was probably just upset that repairs were taking so long.

I did everything that Asuma had asked of me. I walked fifty laps on my hands around the house. I did push ups. I did jump rope. Basically anything that was considered strenuous training, I did it. My whole body ached, but I kept my word and didn't ask questions. I just did as he told me.

One day, I arrived and saw a few kids who looked to be my age out on a nearby pond. I went over to them and watched as they slid around the ice.

"Hey, guys! There's a new kid!"

They all came over to me and studied me.

"Hi…" I said shyly.

"What are you waiting for? Come on!" The brown haired boy smiled at me.

I smiled back and stepped out onto the ice. Almost instantly, I landed on my rear.

The other kids chuckled.

"Here, let me help you." The boy pulled me up and helped me to stay steady.

"How do you guys stay up? This is really slippery!"

"Just try to relax and have fun!"

I did as the boy suggested and before I knew it, I was gliding just as well as the rest of them.

"You seem to be having fun, Kat."

I stopped and saw that it was Asuma.

"Hey! Old man! Come out with us!" One of the kids cheered.

"Sorry, but I'm too old for that. You just have fun for me okay?"

A chorus of awws echoed.

"Come on, Kat. You have some training to get to now. You can come back tomorrow and play."

"Okay!" I gave no argument and waved goodbye to my temporary friends.

Everyday for the several months I went back to old man Asuma's place to train. I also had lots of chances to play with the kids my age. It was nice to just have fun every once in awhile. I was going to make sure that no matter where I was, I was going to remember to have fun.

Unfortunately, today would be my final day of training with old man Asuma. It's been a whole year since the Phoenix came to Obral. The repairs were finally done and we could go.

I exchanged blows with Asuma as we talked.

"The Phoenix is leaving tomorrow." I told him.

"Tamio told me. Are you happy to be leaving?"

"Of course! Don't take this wrong, but I've lived on the sea since I was six. I feel like the Phoenix is my home."

The old man stood down. "Then let me get you a little going away present." He disappeared inside and returned moments later with a piece of paper in hand. "Take this."

I read it over. It was a recipe. "What does this make?"

"What some might call a 'miracle cream'. It helps aid the body in speeding up the healing process. It might come in handy."

I threw my arms around Asuma. "Thank you. I'll make sure to memorize it."

"See that you do. It could save someone's life someday."

I pulled away from the hug. "I have to go now! I'll come by tomorrow for one last goodbye if I can."

"I would like that." Asuma smiled a wrinkly smile at me.

I smiled back and took my leave.

The next morning, the captain said that, if I was quick, I could go say goodbye. I ran as fast as I could through the streets I had memorized.

As I approached, I saw Asuma standing outside talking to some men on horseback. I studied them. Asuma had always told me not to approach when he had visitors. I stayed hidden and waited. Hopefully, they would leave soon.

As I watched, I didn't like the look on Asuma's face. He seemed angry and scared. I was getting a knot in my stomach. I didn't like this one bit.

Suddenly! One of the men drew their sword and ran it through Asuma. I covered my mouth with my hands and forced myself to stay quiet. Tears streamed down my face. The man who had been so kind to me and taught me for the past year, was now dead.

Anger now rose up in me. There was no way they were going to get away with this!

The men rode off and I quickly but silently followed them. They didn't seem to be in a hurry so it was easy to keep them in sight. Eventually, I got close enough to hear their conversation.

"We should go after the son next. If we leave him alive, he could come back to kill us."

"I agree. The last thing we need is the boss getting after us."

"He's still gunna be pissed we don't have his money though."

"Yeah, we should have searched the old man first."

I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to end these men now, before they got back to their boss. I climbed up onto the roofs and silently followed. They made a turn down a nearby alleyway. This was perfect. I was going to take my revenge.

I drew my wakizashis and jumped off of the roof. I landed on the horse behind one and ran my sword through his neck.

"WHAT THE…!"

The second man never got a chance to finish his sentence as I quickly swiped my other sword across his throat. Both men were now dead. Revenge was mine. Now it was time to go find Tamio.

I raced around till I finally found him. He was up on the roofs in the same part of town where we first met.

"Tamio!"

"What is it, Kat?"

"It's Asuma… he's been killed."

Tamio's eyes went wide then angry. "Damn it!"

"If it makes you feel any better, I killed the men who…"

"You what?!"

"I killed them…"

"Damn it, Kat! That's the worst thing you could have done!"

Now my anger was raging again. "I had to avenge Asuma! After how kind he's been to me, do you really think I could just do nothing?!"

Tamio let out a frustrated sigh. "No, I suppose not. But now the boss of the men you killed will be coming after me."

"Why do you say that?"

"You killed them from up on the roofs, right?"

"How do you know that?"

"I was my father's first student."

The light went on in my head. "The boss will think you killed them…"

"That's right. Now, we need to get you to the Phoenix before the enemy finds us."

"Right!"

Tamio and I made our way as quickly as we could to the docks. Tamio was practically dragging me along but this was hardly the time to complain.

The captain greeted us as we arrived. "Come on, Kat. It's time to leave."

"Yes, sir." I turned to Tamio. "You should come with me. You'll be killed if you stay here."

"I can't come with you. If I do then they will probably just chase me elsewhere. I don't need to put you in danger too."

I felt my tears start up again. "But it's not fair! You shouldn't have to die because of my actions!"

"Unfortunately, that's the consequence when you don't think before you kill." The captain said as he came and stood beside me. "You killed recklessly and now there's a price to pay."

"How do you know I actually killed someone?" I asked.

"Are you going to tell me you didn't?"

I looked down at the ground. "...no…"

Tamio lifted my chin. "Don't worry, Kat. Maybe things will wor-"

Tamio staggered and had a look of shock on his face. The captain pulled me up into his arms and hauled me onto the ship. I watched as Tamio's body fell to the ground and an arrow stuck tall out of his back.

"Take us out of here! NOW!" The captain ordered.

A few arrows shot at the ship and, thankfully, missed.

Hirota took me down below deck and roughly flopped me on the bed. I sat up and braced myself.

"Shite, Kat! That was stupid! Do you have any idea what could have happened?!" I wasn't even given a chance to respond. "They could have killed you! Or they could have killed all of us if they wanted to! You can't just go around killing people! Luckily for you, you only lost one person this time around!"

"...two…" I mumbled my correction.

"What?!"

"They killed Asuma first… that's why I killed them…"

"That may be, but you have no idea what group these men belong to! They could be part of the Dark Phantoms!"

"I thought they were only on the sea."

"They have crews on land too! If you killed a man who belonged to the Dark Phantoms, we are going to be in serious trouble! Because of your reckless actions, you've put everyone on the Phoenix in danger!"

I tried to hold back my tears, but it wasn't working. I knew I deserved every bit of this lecture.

"I'm sorry…"

Hirota let out a frustrated sigh. "I have to punish you… I really don't want to, but I don't see a way around it…"

I froze. "W-What are you g-going to do?"

"It needs to be adjusted because of your age, but I think seven lashes would fit."

"C-Can't I just apologize to the crew and explain what happened?"

"You'll still have the chance to do that, but if I don't punish you, it will look like I'm going weak. If they think I'm going weak then they'll believe I'm unfit to be captain."

My mind flashed back to the last time I had received lashes.

 _~Before I knew what was happening, I was bound tightly around the main mast and the back of my shirt was torn open. Moments later an extreme pain shot through my back. I couldn't help but cry out. Twice more it happened. Tears were streaming down my face.~_

I felt my hands tremble as tears blurred my vision. I had no idea my actions affected everyone so seriously. I was never going to act recklessly again. I wanted to live on the sea, so this is what life on the sea was like. If I was going to be the best swordswoman out there, then I needed to own up to what I'd done.

I dried my tears the best I could and stood up. With hands still trembling by my sides, I spoke. "I-I'm ready to accept my punishment."

Hirota looked grimly at me. "You know it pains me to have to do this, right?"

I nodded. "It's on your face. I won't hate you for it."

He seemed to relax a little. "Then let's get it over with."

I followed the captain on deck. He explained to the crew everything that happened and then carried out my punishment.


	7. Chapter 7

I was now eleven. The events in Obral were now a thing of the past. I had learned my lesson that day and made the decision that the best thing to do was keep myself distant. If I didn't let myself get too close to anyone, then there would be no reason for me to act recklessly. Besides, as it stood now, anyone I got close to was killed in one way or another. That is, if they didn't abandon me.

We were currently in port in Tanbarun waiting for a well stocked trade ship to leave port. We were running low on food and a few other supplies, so it was time to take what we needed.

I was helping but I had terrible cramps all day. Finally, I excused myself and found an outhouse. When I went to do my business, I saw blood. I almost panicked. There was a lot more than I felt there should be. What was happening to me?!

I dressed myself and hightailed it to the nearest physician. I could have gone to Akiba, but I didn't want to involve him if I didn't have too. Plus, since he knew me so well, it would be weird.

As soon as I was in the physician's office I let my panic shine through, once I had explained everything.

"Am I going to die?!"

He chuckled. "No, my dear, you are not going to die. You're just becoming a woman."

"What in the name of Poseidon does that mean?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Your mother never explained it to you?"

"No…" I hated whenever someone brought up either of my parents.

He sighed and took his time explaining everything to me. Once he was done, he gave me some supplies so that it would be easier to clean up.

"Thank you, sir." My cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"You're welcome, my dear. Now, before you leave, did you have any other questions?"

I shook my head. "Not at the moment."

"Well then I believe our appointment is done. Feel free to come back if you have any questions."

I left without saying a word. My thoughts ran wild as I walked back to the Phoenix. How was I possibly going to hide this mess from the crew? I'd already noticed myself begin to develop a more womanly bosom. I'd even tried to bind myself recently and I hated it. Now, there was this whole mess to deal with. It was times like this that I wished I was a man.

I arrived back at the Phoenix and thankfully most of the men were still out. I was able to sneak into the captain's quarters and I hid the supplies under the bed. I knew it wasn't the best spot, but it would have to do for now.

Then I just laid on the bed. These cramps were not a nice feeling. I know the physician said I wasn't dying but it sure felt like it. I curled up into a ball and, surprisingly, passed out.

When I woke up again, the captain was shaking me awake.

"Kat. Wake up."

My eyes fluttered open and I yawned. "Sorry, Captain. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"Why did you run off?"

"Well...you see… I'm becoming a woman now… I was at the physician's office."

Hirota's eyes got wide for a moment. "I see…"

I straightened up and spoke confidently. "I think it's time we told everyone I am a girl… woman."

He let out a sigh. "I suppose continuing to bind yourself is out of the question."

"Yes. It's too uncomfortable."

"I knew we'd probably have to tell them sooner or later. I guess I'd just hoped it would be later."

"Do you think the men will allow me to stay?"

Hirota ran his hand through his hair. "I guess there's only one way to find out."

I followed him up on deck and we stood at the stern of the ship by the wheel, just like when he first brought me on board.

When I looked out, I saw that we'd left port and were on our way again.

"Listen up, you mangy sea dogs!" The captain shouted.

Everyone froze what they were doing and listened.

"As you know, Katsuo has been with us for five years now. Now, you know that I try to be honest with you, but I have kept something secret from you. Katsuo isn't a boy. He's actually a girl named Katsumi!"

Murmurs washed over the whole crew.

"I assure you everything else about her has been the honest truth."

"Are you crazy, Captain?! We can't have a woman on board! It's bad luck!" I was a little hurt when I saw that it was Thane making the statement.

"She's never brought us bad luck before! If there was going to be bad luck, we'd have had it by now!"

"I don't like it! There is no way a wench can hack it out here!"

Seriously?! I was the only one on the ship who could dual wield! I'd even saved some of them in fights! Three years of training with wakizashis made me a force to be reckoned with!

"I can fight just as good as any of you!" I raged.

"Prove it!" Thane challenged.

"Gladly! How?!"

Thane smirked and drew his sword. "Simple! Duel with me! First one to draw blood wins."

"And if you beat Thane, I'm next!" Another crewman shouted.

"And me!" Someone else volunteered.

One by one they challenged me.

"Well then! Are we just going to stand here? Or are we going to fight?!" I drew my wakizashis and made my way to Thane.

Thane drew his sword and the rest of the crew formed a circle around us. I felt the adrenaline course through my body. Thane looked like he had something to prove.

Thane started the fight by striking at me with his cutlass. I quickly dodged and made my counter attack. He deflected my sword but I was quick and swung at him with my other one. He tried to dodge, but he was too slow and I drew blood.

It was the beautiful thing about my wakizashis, they were designed to end a fight quickly. Thanks to all my practice, I was going to be able to prove I was just as good of a fighter as any man.

Thane cursed and walked off.

The next man stepped up and we went through the same song and dance.

Finally, after going through about ten of them. They finally stopped with the challenges. I was panting pretty good.

"Anyone else?!" I huffed.

No one said anything.

I couldn't help but smirk. I had proven my worth. I felt a firm hand on my shoulder. I knew it belonged to the captain.

"Well then, if there are no other objections, Kat will be staying with us."

There was no objection.

"Thane!"

"Yes sir?"

"Since you're the one who said she's useless, you get to be the one who'll teach her everything she needs to know about sailing."

"But Captain!"

"You can do it now or after ten lashes, but you will do it! Do you understand?!"

"Yes sir…"

"Good! Now get to it! The Phoenix won't sail herself to Tanbarun!" The captain turned and went to the wheel.

I looked at Thane who appeared like he'd just been humiliated.

"Alright, wench, let's get started."

I followed Thane around and he piled on the information. The names of all of the different parts of the ship, how to tie down ropes correctly, and a whole lot more. I didn't think my brain could hold it all but I did my best.

After a week under the harsh thumb of Thane, we finally arrived in Tanbarun. I was so excited to be back that I leapt off of the ship and sprinted to where I knew Desti lived. Tanbarun was my home and even after being gone for so long, I still remembered my way around.

I arrived at the house and knocked on the door.

No answer.

I twisted the door handle and slowly opened the door. "Hello? Desti? Auntie?"

Still no response.

I opened the door all the way and found the place empty. Nothing was there and based on the dust that had collected, no one had been here for a while. I felt tears fill my eyes. Did they leave? Did they not want me to find them?

I blinked back my tears and refused to let a single one escape. I was a full fledged pirate. Crying was weakness. Besides, I knew Desti, he wouldn't just leave without a good reason. If fate ever chose to stop hating me, I could see Desti again someday.

I stepped back out and closed the door. Desti was no longer where I could find him. I was on my own. My home was with the crew of the Phoenix, even if they hated my guts right now.

"Goodbye, Desti, Auntie."

I returned to the ship and climbed onboard.

"Hey! Pretty boy!"

I looked towards the voice and saw Thane marching towards me. When he reached me, he smacked me in the back of the head.

"Hey! Watch it, cruddbucket!" I was not in the mood to put up with him.

"It's what you get for taking off like that! You have responsibility now! You have to help bring the ship into port just like the rest of us!"

"Fine, I'm sorry, okay? It won't happen again."

"It better not!"

Just as I was about to continue giving Thane attitude, another crewman came running onto the ship.

"Captain!" He sounded panicked.

"What is it?" The captain's voice startled me. He was now standing right behind me.

The crewman tried to catch his breath. "It's the Dark Phantoms! I overheard some of them talking in the tavern! They've got an ambush set up for us when we leave port! They're going to force us into Clarines waters!"

I watched the captain's eyes grow wide. "Poseidon have mercy."

I didn't know what was so bad with Clarines. We had never been there and I was curious as to why.

"What's so bad about Clarines?" I asked.

"The Second Prince has it in for pirates. Even though Clarines has never been friendly territory for us, six months ago he passed a law that all pirates were to be killed or captured. I bet he's got his whole fleet guarding their waters. If we cross that line, there is no doubt that all of us will be killed."

I froze at the captain's words. "W-What are we going to do?"

Hirota let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know, Kat. I don't know."

We sat for a week in port as we got the things we needed. I went to the herbalist shop and acquired most of the ingredients I needed for the 'miracle cream'. Something told me I was going to need it.

Finally, we left port. The captain explained that we were going to try to pose as mercenaries hired to escort a lord and his daughter to safety. To do this, I was dressed up in a dress that was stolen from a noble family in Tanbarun along with the fancy clothes that Akiba was wearing. He was posing as my dad.

Thane was appointed as acting first officer for the time being. We removed our pirate flag and chose not to fly a different one. The captain said that the Dark Phantoms might notice if we changed our flag, but simply removing it might get overlooked.

As we drew near Clarines waters, with three Dark Phantom ships hot on our tail, I fidgeted with my fuchsia pink dress. It was incredibly uncomfortable. How could girls be happy wearing these?

"Quit fidgeting, Kat. You'll give yourself away. You need to act like you've lived in it." Akiba instructed.

"I hate this."

"I know, but it's what we must do to survive."

Once we crossed into Clarines waters, the Dark Phantom ships backed off. As they got farther and farther away, I thought the captain might be able to get out before we got caught, but I was wrong.

"Captain!" A crewman called from the crow's nest.

"I see it!"

I looked where the captain was and saw a Clarines ship coming straight towards us. How did it show up so fast?

I pulled on Akiba's sleeve. "Do you really think this will work?" I felt naked without my wakizashis on my back.

"We're about to find out."

The Clarines ship pulled along side ours and men quickly poured on with swords drawn. One man in particular was dressed better than the others.

"Have your captain step forward!" The well dressed man demanded. I figured he must be the captain.

Hirota stepped forward.

"State your business!"

"We're mercenaries sir. We were hired to escort Lord Namikaze and his daughter." If the captain was nervous, he didn't show it.

I did my best to stand tall and I forced my hands to stay at their sides.

"Then why aren't you flying a flag? You could be anyone. How do I know this isn't just an act?"

I was starting to get nervous. It didn't seem like the Clarines Captain was buying it. I had to make sure my role was convincing.

I clung to Akiba's arm. "Papa…? A-Are we in trouble?"

That drew the attention of the opposing captain.

Akiba placed his hand on my head. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding."

I pressed into him more.

The Clarines Captain made his way over to me and crouched down. "Where are you from, Lady Namikaze?"

"O-Obral." It was what made the most sense. Since we'd spent a year there, it made it possible for me to try and sell it.

"Well that explains your slight accent."

I hadn't even noticed it.

"Did your father really hire these men?"

I nodded. "Yes, they saved us from the pirates that were chasing us."

"That's enough, Captain! I won't have you interrogating my daughter any further! If you have questions, you may direct them towards me!"

The man stood up. "Of course, my lord. But if I may be so bold, why did you hire mercenaries?"

"Because there were some dangerous men after my family. If I wanted to get away, I needed to hire someone who could help us flee the country. We were going to settle in Tanbarun, but we were cut off from port by pirates. Our only course of action was to continue into Clarines waters."

The Clarines Captain stopped and thought a moment as he studied the ship and it's crew.

"Very well. Would you like us to escort you to Tanbarun?"

Akiba looked in the direction that we'd come from. "I don't think that will be necessary now. It appears they've given up pursuit."

"Then I bid you farewell and safe travels."

I was so relieved that he bought it.

Without missing a beat, Captain Hirota turned the ship around and we traveled safely out of Clarines waters.


	8. Chapter 8

It's been two years since our close encounter in Clarines waters. Ever since that day, I vowed I'd never go to Clarines again. I'd heard several stories in every port about pirate ships that had gone in and never returned. Even the dreaded Dark Phantoms had lost ships.

Of course, the rumours didn't stop fools from trying. Every once in awhile you would hear about an overconfident fool of a captain try his luck, but they were usually never seen again. I didn't know what exactly happened, but I wasn't eager to find out.

Ever since old man Asuma gave me the 'miracle cream' recipe, I made sure to read it over every chance I got. Now, I had it memorized and could make the concoction in my sleep.

Of course nothing could help the pain I was currently feeling. My birthday had come around again. I wasn't getting out of bed today. Not unless the captain needed something, which was doubtful.

"Kat! What are you still doing in bed?! Captain wants all hands on deck for the next ship raid." The voice belonged to Thane.

Thane had warmed up to me slowly over time, although he still drove me to the brink of collapsing, most days. The rest of the crew had warmed up to me too. I guess beating the pants off of them will do that. Thane was the first one to accept me though. Now he acted like a bossy older brother.

"Go away! The captain can do without me!"

"Kat, we don't have time to argue!"

I couldn't take it anymore. "I said GO AWAY!" I snapped a glare at him as I felt tears sneak out of my eyes despite my best efforts.

Thane blinked quickly in shock as he saw how miserable I was. After he recovered, he went to the captain's desk and pulled out a flask. He tossed it onto the bed.

"Take a swig of that and come up. We need you for this one."

I looked down at the flask, then back at Thane.

"I'll take you drinking later and you can get wasted all you want but right now, just drink what you need to put a fire in your spirit."

I grabbed the flask, opened it, and shot back a healthy swig of whiskey. When I finished the drink I couldn't help but cough because of how strong it was. Moments later, I felt my body warm and I was starting to feel better.

"Better?" Thane asked.

I nodded and got up grabbing my wakizashis. "Let's go kill some Phantoms."

Thane smirked at me and we both went up on deck.

Once the fighting was done, I helped with collecting the plunder. When I went below deck I saw a man tied up. It looked like he'd been beaten pretty badly. I went to him.

"Hey, stranger. Do you mind if I treat your wounds?"

He glared at me. "I don't need help from no pirate!" He spat at me.

I matched his glare. "We're going to burn the ship once we're done looting it. If you're going to be an ungrateful bastard, I can easily arrange it so you're still on it when she sinks." I got in his face. "Now, do you want me to help?"

"Fine…"

I went to work tending to his wounds. When I'd finished, I cut his bonds.

"If you try anything funny, I won't hesitate to run you through." I turned to leave.

"Why help me? You're a no good pirate!"

My anger fired up inside of me. I spun around again and grabbed the man by his shirt collar. "Because! Despite what you may think, I am not heartless!"

The man was startled at my strength. I was only thirteen, but I could challenge some full grown men. Sailing a ship will do that for you.

I released him. "Come with me. I'll take you to the brig of our ship." I turned around again to head out.

"I don't take orders from a wench…" I huffed at the man's words, but then he continued. "...unless it's in bed."

I could hear him smirk as he firmly grabbed my arse.

I spun around at top speed and backhanded him hard enough to send him to the floor. "Touch me again and you lose the hand!"

"Everything alright, Kat?" Akiba asked as he came down.

"I'm just fine! Someone else can take care of this bastard! I'm going to haul up something else…" I grumbled as I walked away.

Finally, after all the goods had been transferred to the Phoenix, we set the ship a blaze and watched it burn.

Thane came up to me and handed me a mug of ale.

I leaned against the rails of the ship and watched the other one burn.

"So, do you want to tell me why today has been so hard on you?" Thane inquired kind of awkwardly.

I took a swig of my drink. "Do you actually care?" I asked snidely.

"If it were anyone else, no. You're not like the rest of us, in more ways than one."

"Touch me and I'll cut off your hand." I threatened.

"What?! I wasn't meaning it like that!" Thane defended. "Besides, I like older women… I just meant that you came on the Phoenix much younger than any of us. But on days like today, I can't help but wonder what happened before the captain found you."

I took another gulp of the ale and felt it warm my body. "It's my birthday… It's also the anniversary of my parent's death…" A few tears leaked out. I quickly wiped them away. Crying was weakness for a pirate.

"Shite… That sucks…"

"Thanks for your sympathy…" I groaned.

"Tell you what, when we get to the next port, I'll take you to the tavern."

I looked at him doubtful. "You really think they'll let a thirteen year old woman into the tavern?"

"Sure! We just have to dress you up right. You may be thirteen, but I bet in the right clothes you'd look sixteen, at least."

I saw Thane study me. "You can stop drooling, Thane."

"Sorry. You know women are my weakness."

"All too well."

When we finally docked in Tanbarun, Thane made good on his promise and dragged me to the nearest tavern.

When we entered, I was hit with the smell of booze and sweat. It wreaked but I could see everyone was relaxing. It didn't take long before I was starting to relax too.

As I followed Thane to the bar, I got cat calls and whistles coming my direction. It was no wonder. The clothes I was dressed in would put some whores to shame. I didn't care, as long as I didn't have to wear a corset, I was happy.

As the night progressed, I had to fight off a few men. I even broke the arm of one. After that, they left me alone and allowed me to drink in peace. The way the booze warmed my body and the way it acted on my mind, it was a good feeling for me. I could just drink and feel like my life was better, even if it was just for a moment. After the fifth drink, I wouldn't remember anything.

The next day, I woke up in my bed on the Phoenix with my head feeling like it was going to explode. The people walking above deck sounded like someone was pounding nails into my head. The light coming in from the Captain's window made it difficult to see straight. I just groaned and flopped back down, pulling the blanket over my head.

"Rise and shine, pretty kitty." Thane burst in.

"Don't call me that…. And I'm not getting up…" I groaned. "I feel like I'm going to die."

"Yeah… that's the side effects of drinking a lot. You won't die, but you'll feel like shite for the rest of the day."

"Let me sleep…"

"I can't do that."

"Fine, then at least get Akiba to get me something for this head of mine."

"That, I can do."

Thane left and moments later, I heard someone enter.

"Thane wasn't kidding. You are really hungover, aren't you?" It was Akiba.

I just groaned in response.

"Sit up, I have something for you."

I slowly did as he asked. He handed me a drink. I chugged it back. It was gross, but I forced myself to drink it. When I finished it, I handed it back to Akiba.

"You should feel better soon, but life still goes on. You have a job up on deck to do."

"Yes sir." I grabbed my wakizashis and headed up on deck.

After we left Tanbarun, we headed for a country called Hayston. It was a country just south of Obral. Apparently, the captain had some sort of business to handle there.

When we landed, I asked permission to go ashore and scout the surrounding area. It was quickly granted and I was up on the roofs in no time. I scanned the port. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. I hopped down in a nearby alleyway and started to make my way back to the ship.

"Hey! You!" I heard a male voice call from behind me.

I turned around and saw a boy about my age. "What do you want, street rat? I need to get back."

"That's no way to talk to me, pirate! And I'm no street rat!"

I studied the boy as he approached. He was wearing nice clothes. The last time I saw someone dressed that nice, would have been when I crashed into Prince Raj.

"Well if you're not a street rat, why are you in the ports without an escort of some sort?"

"I ditched 'em. I wanted to see how real people live."

"Someone like you can never know how real people live!" I scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"What do you think? It's clear you're some sort of noble. Unless you lose everything and someone kills you're parents, you'll never know what life is really like!"

The boy smirked at me. "I like your spirit. I could tell my father to hire you into the vigilantes that protect our family."

"No thank you. I'm happy right where I am."

"Awe that's too bad." Three full grown men came out from the shadows. "I was so hoping you would come willingly."

As soon as the men stepped into the light, I knew what group they were from… the Dark Phantoms.

I didn't let myself freeze. I took off full speed into the forest. Maybe I could lose them in there. I quickly leapt up into a tree and started jumping from tree to tree. It was just like being on the roofs. It was faster and I had a better chance at losing them.

I looked behind me to see if they were still following and sure enough they were hot on my tail. I tried to pick up my pace but then I landed on a branch that was a little too small and I went plummeting to the ground.

I did my best to land properly, but I still ended up twisting my ankle and pain shot through me, causing me to cry out.

In no time, the Dark Phantom members had reached me.

"Look! It's one of those Pheonix scumbags!"

I did my best to stand and I drew my wakizashis.

"How cute! She thinks she can fight!"

"Go slam yer head on a marlin spike!" I spat at them.

"I bet her bark is worse than her bite."

"Care to test that theory?" I taunted.

One of the men moved too quickly for me to react and slammed me against a tree, knocking the wind out of me.

"Listen here, wench! The First Prince of Hayston doesn't take kindly to being called names by lowlifes like you! Nevermind the fact that you're a bitch."

First Prince? Why would royalty employ the Dark Phantoms? And when did I meet the prince? That's who the boy must have been! Well that's just great! I managed to piss off one of the most important people in the country in less than an hour.

"If he doesn't want to be called names, then maybe he shouldn't hire pig-faced baboons like you!"

That comment earned me a smack across the face.

"The prince was going to be kind enough to let you live, but now…" The man smirked. "Now I get the joy of killing you." He pulled out a dagger and put it to my throat.

I closed my eyes and shook as I waited for him to just get it done and over with, but it never came. I opened my eyes and saw all three men were dead on the ground. Before I could relax, a man leapt down in front of me. He was dressed all in black and only his eyes were visible.

His emerald orbs pierced mine. "Are you with them?" His voice was low. Probably changed.

"No, I belong to the Phoenix."

Just then another similarly dressed man appeared.

"What's taking so long to- Damn it!" The second man smacked the first one upside the head. "Now you have to kill her!"

What?! Why?! I wasn't part of the group!

The first man drew a dagger and I soon found myself once again with a dagger to my throat.

"Wait!" I cried out. "The men that are dead were my enemies!"

"Doesn't matter. You saw who killed them." The first man spoke again.

The second man smacked him again. "Just cuz you're going to kill her doesn't mean you volunteer information! Now do it!"

"I didn't see!" I blurted out. "I closed my eyes thinking he was going to kill me! When I opened my eyes again they were dead! I never saw anything!"

The man with the dagger to my throat backed down and pulled out a vial of blue liquid from his pouch. "Drink this and it will erase your memory of our conversation."

Seeing as I was in no position to argue, I did as he asked. I felt my mind go foggy and I started to lose my balance a little. When it lifted, I saw the men dead on the ground.

"Who could have killed them?" I mumbled out loud. "Whatever. I just need to get back."

As I started to wander back, I found myself lost… again.

"AAAAHHHH!" I cried out in frustration. How can I manage to get lost so easily?! I really need to start carrying a compass on me.

"Are you lost?"

I spun around a little too quickly and lost my balance. I was caught by strong arms.

"I got ya."

The man carried me and before I knew it, I passed out.

When I came to, I was in an unfamiliar setting and my swords were nowhere to be seen. I leapt out of the bed and looked underneath. They weren't there.

"Shite!" I cursed.

"Now, now. That's hardly language a lady should be using."

I froze at the man's voice.

"Where are my wakizashis?!" I demanded.

"All in good time my dear." The man sat in a chair facing the bed. "Why don't you tell me where you're from?"

"I'm from the Phoenix. We just pulled into port a few days ago. Can I please have my swords back? The captain will be missing me."

"What's your name, sweetheart?" He was ignoring my question and his tone becoming a bit harsher.

"Kat. What's yours?"

"What's a girl like you doing on a **pirate** ship?"

"The captain found me. Now can I please have my swords? I need to go."

The man stood up out of his chair and put his hand around my throat and lifted me off the ground. "You're not going anywhere!"

I struggled to breathe, but I finally spotted my wakizashis. They were sitting just behind his chair.

"You and your ship have caused too many problems for the Dark Phantoms! If I can eliminate even one of you, it will be worth it!"

I knew I needed to get out of here. If I didn't I was going to die! I did the only thing I could think of and gave him a swift kick to the groin.

He dropped me and I landed on my twisted ankle. I cried out in pain and forced myself to grab my swords and run. I had to get away from this man, no matter what! Pain stabbed my ankle with every step but I couldn't stop.

Before I got too far, I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder. I turned and saw an arrow had struck. I was now down to a hobble.

"THANE!" I cried out desperately. I didn't know what else I could do. I was too weak to attack or run. The pain was taking over my body.

I heard another arrow soar past me as I collapsed to the ground. Then fate threw in the cherry on top and it started to rain. I felt myself slowly drift into darkness.

"KAT!" It was Thane. Thank goodness.

I tried to call out again, but it was no use. Eventually, the darkness consumed me.

I awoke again on the Phoenix and my whole body ached. My shoulder and ankle stood out as the most prominent pain. I couldn't help but groan.

"Nice to see you're finally awake." Hirota spoke seriously as he came and sat on the bed beside me. "What happened?"

I put my good arm over my eyes to block out the light. "It was all a mess from the start…" I went on and explained everything that happened, from my accidentally insulting the First Prince, to the man that was part of the Dark Phantoms.

"Well, we set sail as soon as we had you on board and Thane said the man who attacked you managed to escape. I'm sure we're going to have trouble from the Dark Phantoms."

I flopped my arm down and looked at Hirota. "I was such an idiot! I answered every question! But he seemed like he was going to help me. How could I have been so blind?"

"Next time, don't volunteer information. Doing that put this whole crew in danger."

"I know…" I felt myself tremble slightly. The captain would have every right to punish me. "I'm willing to accept lashes, as soon as I can stand…"

"You're not getting punished, Kat."

My eyes went wide with shock. "Really?"

"The only real mistake you made was unknowingly insulting the prince. Given the situation you were in, I'm sure all you wanted to do was get out of there. I'm not sure how many of us would have been able to get out of that situation."

I let myself relax. "I'll never volunteer information again."

"Good. And if people ask you direct questions that could endanger your life, silence them and tell them you refuse to answer. It's saved my hide more times than I can count."

"I'll remember that."


	9. Chapter 9

A couple months later, I was back into my same old routine. The captain had everyone on high alert. Just because the Dark Phantoms hadn't attacked yet, didn't mean they weren't going to. Ever since the whole incident, I never let my wakizashis leave my back. When I slept, they were under my pillow.

We'd just pulled out of port and came out of the bay we were rudely greeted with two Dark Phantom ships!

"Captain!" A crewman shouted.

"Prepare for battle!" The captain shouted in response.

I pulled out my wakizashis and got into the proper mindset. I wasn't going to die today!

Within minutes the ships came along either side of us and enemies poured on from both sides. With great speed and precision, I cut down one enemy after another. Just like every other time, the look in their eyes told me that it had to be me or them. I decided it was going to be them.

I found myself back to back with Thane. We fought well together and it showed. It was like we were one person. I'd never admit it out loud, for fear of fate striking, but Thane was about as close to me as the captain was. He was like an older brother.

I deflected another blade and ended another enemy. My ankle was starting to act up. It had fully healed, but I realized that if I was on my feet too long, the pain would start up again.

I almost froze when I heard Akiba cry out in anguish.

I turned my head and saw that a coward had run him through from behind.

"YOU COWARD!" I shouted and I went into a blind rage.

When I came out of my rage, the deck of the Phoenix was littered with bodies and red was the new colour of the deck.

I stood there panting, trying to catch my breath. The setting sun warmed my face. I quickly searched for Akiba. I soon found him, but it was too late. He was gone. A lump formed in my throat. How could he have died? He was the first in command!

I swallowed hard and blinked back my tears. I was no longer a child, so I shouldn't cry. This was life. The moment I chose to follow Hirota, this was the life I chose. That meant that people would die and I would have to kill.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Without looking, I could tell it was Thane's.

"He will be missed, but right now we need to get things in order. The Captain will give words when it's time."

I blinked a few more times and nodded.

Finally, everything was taken care of and the captain stepped forward to make his speech.

"Akiba was a good man and a fine physician. I couldn't have asked for a better first officer." I saw a tear leak down the captain's face. They must have been close. "Even though I will take a new first officer, Akiba will be irreplaceable. Once everyone has said their farewells, we will commit his body to the sea."

The captain's speeches were never very long but they were straight to the point. I liked that about him.

I said my goodbye to Akiba along with everyone else. Once the ceremony was done and Akiba was resting in peace at the bottom of the sea, the captain spoke again.

"Gather 'round men! It's time that I choose my new first officer!"

Everyone gathered around.

I eagerly listened. I thought for sure he would pick someone like Thane. They'd earned it. Plus, since I was a woman, I doubt that they'd take too kindly to me anyway.

"Kat!" The captain announced.

"Wait! What?!"

Everyone cheered.

I was in complete shock.

Thane gave me a hard congratulatory smack on the back, causing me to stumble forward. "Congrats Kat! You've earned it!"

I went and stood beside the captain. "If anyone has any issues, now is the time to speak!" I offered. I needed to know the crew was behind this promotion. I was only thirteen after all. I couldn't fault them if they had any issues.

There was silence.

The captain placed his hand on my shoulder. "You've trained harder than anyone here. You deserve this."

I stood up tall. "I will do my best!"

The next several months were spent coming up with a plan to take out the current leader of the Dark Phantoms. It had been established that the next man in line to take over the organization was a cod fish, so they might be less of a threat with him in charge.

I spent lots of time with the captain as we planned out every detail to the best of our abilities. Even with all our planning this was going to be tricky. The leader was known as the Black Phantom. He was a force to be reckoned with and was known for his incredible ability to keep fighting regardless of his injuries. We were going to have to be smart about this if we wanted to win.

We all trained harder than ever before. We focused on our weak points and fine tuned our strong ones. This was going to be one hell of a battle. I also selected several of the crewmen to have the 'miracle cream' on them. This way, we could possibly save anyone that got cut down.

Before we headed out, the captain took us to Tanbarun to restock on anything and everything. Just as we docked and finished securing everything, something unexpected happened.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain."

All of us turned and our eyes went wide when we saw no one other than Prince Raj. Instantly, we all bowed.

"Of course, Your Highness. How may we be of service?"

"I've heard that you plan on taking out the leader of the Dark Phantoms, is that true?"

I tensed and I heard a few of the crewmen started to draw swords to prepare for a fight. The Captain signalled for them to put it away.

"I'm surprised you've heard of it. How did you come by this information?"

"Just because I spend most of my time in the castle, it doesn't mean I am oblivious to what is happening outside. So? Is it true?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"And what would be your reason for such a dangerous task? Aren't you and your crew pirates as well? What is gained by one pirate killing another?"

I felt my emotions bubble to the surface. "They're the bastards that killed Akiba!" I spat out before thinking.

The prince turned his attention to me. "I see… while I admire your spirit, young lady, I suggest you watch your tone. I'm sure you know that a punishment could result from your disrespect."

It was just like the other time I had a conversation with Prince Raj.

 _~"Now, what was all that about? Why are kids as young as you stealing?"_

 _Desti answered for me, "She lost her parents in a fire and she has to steal in order to buy food."_

" _Oh? And what about you?"_

" _I'm her best friend."_

 _I was surprised at Desti's confidence, but he was speaking the truth, so it wasn't like he was making up some cover story._

" _I see." Prince Raj turned to the man beside him. "Sakaki, please tell the children what happens to thieves."_

" _Twenty lashes and thirty days in jail."_

 _I froze in terror. Was Prince Raj going to punish us?_

" _How old are you two?" Prince Raj asked._

" _Five." Desti answered for us, since I was now shaking uncontrollably._

" _Then you are much too young. Children make mistakes."~_

"Forgive me, Your Highness." I bowed. "I should know better." I stood back up. "If you see fit to punish me then I won't resist."

 _~Auntie was silent the rest of the way home. Once there, she got us to sit on the floor in front of her and tell her the whole thing._

" _Do you realize how lucky you were that he was so kind to you?" Her voice was stern._

" _Yes…" Desti and I said in unison._

" _You may be too young for lashes, but he still could have thrown you two in the dungeon. Stealing is a crime that is not tolerated."~_

I doubt Prince Raj was going to be as forgiving this time. I knew I was in the wrong here so I was going to own up to my mistake. I wasn't about to let another incident, like what happened when Thane took my punishment, happen ever again.

"Punishment won't be necessary, this time. I'm sure the only reason you lashed out was because this Akiba person meant a lot to you. Am I right?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Then I can't fault you." Prince Raj returned his attention to the Captain. "If you succeed in your plan, then your ship will always be welcome in Tanbarun. That is, assuming you don't cause trouble while you're here."

The captain bowed. "I am honored, Your Highness."

"Then I shall leave you to make the necessary preparations and I will await your safe return." And just like that, Prince Raj left.

As soon as he was gone, Hirota smacked me upside the head. "Do you know how lucky you are?!"

I rubbed the back of my head. "Yes sir. I am fully aware."

"Good. Now, let's get to work!"


	10. Chapter 10

The Phoenix pulled up to the hidden back side of an island, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. It had taken us a while but we managed to find where the Black Phantom hid when he wasn't on a ship.

As soon as we got close enough, we put our plan into action. Hirota and I led the rest of the men silently into the base. When we entered, we found the base almost completely empty. It left an uneasy feeling in my stomach. There is no way this should be easy.

"Stay alert! This has 'trap' written all over it." The captain quietly ordered.

Room by room we searched, all of it was empty. Finally, there was only one room left. Hirota and I opened the doors and found a large room full of about fifty Dark Phantoms and a man sitting on a throne at the very back.

His long raven black hair fell straight around his face. His golden eyes pierced into my soul even from this distance. I could see several scars all over his body. The sheer muscle on this man was incredible. One strike from him and I would be sent flying.

"Black Phantom?!" The captain questioned.

"Of course! Who else would it be?!" His voice boomed.

"Prepare to die!" Hirota declared. "Now!"

The crew of the Phoenix charged forward and engaged the men protecting the Black Phantom.

Hirota and I went split up going to either side of the room and snuck around the chaos to get to our target. When we reached the back, Hirota gave me the signal and we charged the Black Phantom at the same time.

Just short of our blades finding their mark, they were deflected away. Quickly, we regained our footing and faced our new opponents. They were dressed in black and had their faces completely covered with the exception of their eyes.

My lavender eyes locked with my opponent's teal ones. Our blades clashed as I picked up my speed and tried to end him quickly. However, whenever my sword should have made contact, he wasn't there.

Our fight began to drag on. I hated it and I was growing restless, but I forced myself to stay focused. Finally, I got my chance and ran my enemy through. When I withdrew my sword and the body fell to the floor, I was greeted by horror.

Hirota a long sword stuck through his core and was spitting up blood.

"Do you think it's so simple to kill me?! I am blessed by Poseidon to rule the sea! You can not kill one that the gods have chosen!"

I forced myself to move. The sooner I killed the Black Phantom, the sooner I could tend to Hirota's wound. I slashed my sword at the Black Phantom but he stopped it by grabbing it by the blade. My eyes went wide. How could a man block a sword like that and not cry out in pain?

I watched as his blood dripped down my sword.

"You can't kill me!" He declared boldly. "You're throwing your life away!"

Hirota coughed. "That's what you think!"

Simultaneously, Hirota drew a hidden dagger and struck at the same time I struck with my other wakizashi.

"Blessed by Poseidon, my ass!" I smirked at the Black Phantom. "If you bleed, you can die."

In a matter of a few moments, the Black Phantom bled out and Hirota crashed to the floor.

"Captain!" I quickly went to him and pulled out the 'miracle cream'.

"No, Kat…" He coughed. "Save it for someone else…"

"But you have to come back to the Phoenix! It won't be the same without you! You're…" I felt tears rush down my face. "You're like family to me… you saved me…"

"I know… You were like the daughter I never had…" He coughed again. "Take care of the Phoenix… Keep her safe and… don't give up on your goal…"

I watched as Hirota's eyes went lifeless. I hugged him and I couldn't stop my tears even if I tried.

Back at the ship, I felt like something needed to be said. It was clear everyone else felt it too, because they were all looking at me expectantly.

"C-Captain Hirota… he was like family to me… He found me when I was only six years old… He taught me how to survive… He introduced me to a new family… He led this ship with dignity and pride. I can assure you that I will stick close to his ambitions as we continue on our journey. I can never fill his shoes, but I can follow in his footsteps. If you accept me as your captain, I will do my best!" I wasn't sure what more I could say.

Thane stepped forward. "We couldn't ask for anyone better… Captain."

We docked in Tanbarun and I gave the men permission to go drinking and whoring. They deserved it. After most of the men had left, Thane approached me.

"Have you decided who will be your first officer?"

I smiled at him. "I have."

"Who?"

"You."

Thane's eyes went wide. "Me? Why?"

"Aside from Akiba and Hirota, you've been my closest companion."

Thane smiled. "Then I gladly accept."

"Good, now get going! You don't want to miss out on all the fun, do you?"

"Absolutely not! I'll see you in the morning!" Thane disappeared.

Now it was only me, alone on the Phoenix. I leaned on the rail that faced the open ocean and ran my fingers over the wood. "I promise I'll take care of you…" I mumbled.

I heard footsteps behind me.

"Permission to come aboard?"

I turned around and saw the man who was always with Prince Raj, Sakaki.

"Of course, Sakaki. How can I help you?"

He was shocked. "How do you know my name? Prince Raj didn't speak it the last time your ship was in port."

"You're right, but when the prince uses his advisor to scare a kid out of stealing, it's not something you forget easy."

"I see. I wondered if that was you."

"Now, what did you need?" I asked, bringing the conversation back to where it needed to be.

"I am here on behalf of Prince Raj. He says the Phoenix is welcome in Tanbarun as long as her Captain agrees not to cause trouble."

"Well, her previous captain died in order to complete our mission."

"Then who's the captain now?"

"You're looking at her."

Sakaki smiled. "Prince Raj will be glad to hear it."

"I do have one question though. Why is Prince Raj so willing to welcome us?"

"Because, the Dark Phantoms have been raiding port towns constantly, trying to establish some sort of dominance. The Lions of the Mountain do what they can, but they only have so many men."

"So, because we took out the Black Phantom, Prince Raj is grateful that we eliminated a key player in the threat."

"That's right. You dealt a major blow to the Dark Phantoms. Prince Raj is welcoming you as a sign of thanks."

"Then you may tell Prince Raj that I accept and I will make sure my men don't cause any trouble."

Sakaki gave a slight bow. "Then I bid you good evening."

A week later, we pulled out of Tanbarun and headed out to the open sea. I'd found Hirota's red pirate coat in the captain's quarters and felt it fitting to wear it. My blue-black hair that had been cut short was now resting on my shoulders. I took the wheel of the Phoenix and sailed her off into the sunrise. I didn't know what other adventures awaited me, but I was certain that I was up for the challenge.

 **The End**

A/N: Thanks for reading! There will be more of Kat to come. The next book in "The Pink Blossom Series" is "Tainted Pink Blossom" It follows Prince Zen and Princess Shirayuki's daughter on an adventure of her own. (I know the first three books feel like they don't have anything to do with each other, but they all come together more clearly in Book 4) Tainted Pink Blossom is written by angelfish333 we've worked closely together to make sure our stories line up. Finally, please let us know what you think. We love to hear feedback.


End file.
